The 95th
by Pike2
Summary: Jonas realizes how different he is and starts a chain of events that destiny has marked out for him. Set just after Daniel’s return to the SGC.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: Don't own Stargate SG1 or its characters - if I did I would be somewhere funky and sunny writing this - with a sea view. ======================================================== Jonas Quinn sat down at one of the empty tables in the canteen, he had his pick there was no one else there, and pondered on the roller coaster ride of these past few months; The Prophecy, The eye of Ra, the trapped spirit of Anubis, the lost city of the ancients and Dr Jackson.  
  
Daniel Jackson was back and carrying the baggage of being set adrift by those who aspire to a higher level of existence, those who aspire to became ancients. He knew Dr Jackson had changed, he could see it in those around him, in the eyes of the rest of SG1 and he could feel it deep in Daniel's soul; the destruction of Abydos, the pain, the guilt, the being caught between two ideals, between two worlds and the loss of knowledge and understanding that ascension had brought him. There was an emptiness about the man, a shadow of sorrow that Jonas knew all about and could understand.  
  
Jonas looked at his watch; SG1 had been in conference with the Tok'ra for about an hour, he wondered how things were going, their last meeting had got quite heated but then again feelings were running high. Over the last week the Tok'ra had lost several key personnel as Anubis strengthen his position over the remaining system lords like a dark ocean drowning the universe. No one had slept much; they had all thrown themselves into finding this lost city as if it was their last chance, their last stand against the tyranny of the Goa'uld.  
  
Jonas was helping translate the text they had found in the pyramid, the symbols raced through his mind daily, he felt the answer was within his touch, stalking him so he could almost sense their meaning and then disappearing into a heavy cloud of despair. Dr Jackson felt it more, the despair, aware that he could of helped them make sense of this mystifying plaque before Abydos and the torment of this was wounding his heart.  
  
He closed his eyes and let his mind stretch around the empty canteen. He knew he could do more to help, he knew he was ready; he knew there was more to him than the alien with the instant smile.  
  
Jonas had a secret. 


	2. The Threads Of Fate

The disclaimer still stands - don't own any of 'um  
  
Jonas's secret revealed?  
  
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Jonas had a secret...  
  
Cassandra had visited the SGC, whist her mother finished a report for General Hammond, late one Saturday night. She had drifted into Daniel's office, looking for Sam, but had found only Jonas and Colonel O'Neill. She had stayed chatting comfortably with Jack until he was called away, making some dry comment about her hair as he left the room. She'd sighed and retorted to herself, how can someone that old have such a great butt?  
  
Jonas had laughed and answered, "He works out I guess," and then he'd quickly added, "not that I've noticed Colonel O'Neill's butt."  
  
Cassie had turned to face him, astonishment etched on her open face and Jonas had just looked at her puzzled.  
  
"You heard what I thought," she exclaimed and things just escalated from there.  
  
They had stood staring at each other, for what seemed an eternity, their thoughts bounded between the gap like emotional tennis balls. A million and one neural impulses, illuminating each other's mind, opening its limits like a blossoming flower.  
  
Then they'd touched, palm-to-palm, both sensing the change inside of them that stunned and captivated the breath from their bodies. A dazzling light spun around them, silver and gold threads entwining their destinies and they became transfixed in its epicentre, drawing on each other's presence like the moon and the sun. It was as if the fates were forging them together, as if each was a missing part of the other and they would now become whole. Cassandra, who was old for her years due to the bitterness of her childhood and Jonas whose childlike naivety, his exhilaration, glowed in an ill-lit universe.  
  
He had felt the hollowness in his soul grow to be full with an awakening of energy and enlightenment. It had zipped through his body until he thought he would burn with its force, his heart fuelled to bursting point, then as fast it came it was gone and they were left staring at each other, palm-to-palm.  
  
"Wow," was all Cassie had said.  
  
They both knew this was preordained.  
  
Cassandra had accompanied Janet more often after that night. They would sit in Jonas's room playing chess, which was difficult, as they knew each other's moves well in advance. Jonas would watch carefully as Cassie pushed the bishop or gentle lifted the knight mentally, testing her flourishing aptitude. He would then make a clumsy attempt, at the same, usually tipping the board over but Cassie patiently guided his mind until he had been able to do it on his own. Now, whenever they played, they would compete in their minds first and move all the pieces at the end like some fierce battle campaign.  
  
Jonas knew his telekinetic abilities would never match that of Cassandra's. She had such an amazing gift, making the objects glide through distance like a soothing melody of enchantment. He could just about lift something or flick a switch but he had notice a change in other mental skills.  
  
He had always been able to interpret people; he could sense emotions, read body language, pretty well, and on some occasions, he knew if they were hiding something. There was nothing odd about this, most humans do this as a matter of instinct but he had noticed that he perceived things a little faster that those around him. Now this perception had amplified.  
  
He found that emotions were like colours that people inhabit for a time. A vast spectrum of impulsive hues, from almond to yellow, hiding just under the cerebrum of each individual's mind. Jonas had established, with practice, that he could decipher these impressions, these soul fragments, like learning to read hieroglyphs on the wall of a pyramid. It wasn't the same as tapping into someone's thoughts, as you were opening yourself up to handling others emotions and this could be draining.  
  
Sometimes, with intense feelings, he would catch flashes of arguments or passion without even pushing. These images would invade his mind like an indistinct 8mm film noir, it didn't happen often, but when it did, it was sharp and severe causing blood to seep from his nose.  
  
Jonas looked up from where he was sitting, rubbing his eyebrow as if to massage his thoughts; the canteen was starting to fill up with servicemen and women. He acknowledged some with a warm smile and went back to analysing what had happen last week whilst doodling in the pad before him.  
  
Dr Jackson had managed to decipher, with Jonas's help, part of the stone tablet but the meaning was still vague. It seemed to talk about three objects, three keys, needed to open or find the forgotten city. Colonel O'Neill had remarked that it sounded like an introduction to a computer game and had told Major Carter to pack pistols and khaki shorts. Daniel (and Sam) ignored this comment and he had carried on with his summation. The text had given the impression that when the first key was found it would lead to a second and that when these were placed together, would lead to a third. So the question was where do they start to look for key number one?  
  
Jonas had wanted to re-check his work, to see if he could get a definite translation of the ancient text. He had touched the stone, as he had done many times before, feeling the indentions of the symbols, when something bizarre happened; an image flashed through his mind. Just for a second he saw a man, dressed in blue robes, engraving the tablet. He pulled his hand away and then touched it again this time focusing his mind. He felt a sense of panic emanating from the stone, like there was a need to finish something and not enough time. He also felt a restful presence coming from the man whose prophecy was written down before him. Jonas pushed himself further, the image flickering like candlelight, the man looked up at him saying something with meaningless words and then the image, the sensation, was gone. Again, he found this experience taxing, his body seemed to lose its force but he knew if he persevered that he could find the answers they were all looking for.  
  
He'd shown Cassandra this new ability, using some notes on the Rosetta Stone, Dr Jackson had acquired, written in 1822 by Jean-Francois Champollion. Again he got the flashes, a man in poor health, a feeling of deep obsession, excitement, phonetic signs, the Coptic language, all these impressions darted about his head without structure or context leaving Jonas feeling disheartened. Cassie had then placed her hand on his and their destinies joined once more.  
  
Suddenly they were there, 1822, the scene played out in front of them like a hazy dream, shuddering and distorted. They watched as Jean-Francois hurried to his brother's office, the notes and papers, the very key to his success, grasped tightly to his chest. He exploded into the room, a snowstorm of paperwork falling around both men. His brother stood up, concerned, as Jean-Francois gasped for air but his eyes were full of exhilaration. He began to yell, dancing around his brother's office, 'I've found it, I've found it!'  
  
Then he collapsed to the floor, the poor health that had hindered so much of his work surfaced yet again, rendering him unconscious but not dead.  
  
They'd then removed their hands from the paperwork, the buzz of their mental journey pumping through their bodies. Jonas had sat down, fatigued; a small amount of blood fell from his nose. He'd held his hand up to Cassie to let her know he was all right. The thought was there before he could stop it, they could read the stone, together they could read the stone.  
  
This seat taken, echoed a voice in his head.  
  
He looked up at Cassandra who was carrying a red plastic tray with an assortment of snacks and sodas on. He shook his head.  
  
I've brought food, she thought again.  
  
Jonas smiled and grabbed some chips and soda from the tray.  
  
Major Carter stretched her weary muscles as she entered the canteen and selected a strong coffee. She looked around the busy dining hall and saw the two familiar faces of Jonas and Cassie. She thought about joining them and then noticed they were in their own private discussion; only they didn't seem to be talking. She saw Cassie's head move, her hands opening in an insistent manner and Jonas shake his head and rub his brow. She observe how their eyes were locked together, hardly blinking, as if, dear God, as if they were reading each other's thoughts. 


	3. The Universe Of Our Minds

The Universe of Our Minds  
  
Disclaimer still stands  
  
I would like to thank everyone for their kind reviews and encouragement x  
Sam headed to the infirmary.  
  
Dr Fraiser was busying herself reading a vast collection of notes but she looked up, relieved, when Major Carter entered, "hi Sam, what's up?"  
  
Carter guiltily gazed at her friend's warm, unguarded, smile, damn, she thought, why is it always me. "Janet, have you noticed anything odd about Cassie lately?"  
  
"What, other than her grades have improved and she even smiles once in a while?"  
  
Sam smiled quickly, "she's been spending a lot of time with Jonas lately."  
  
"Yeah, he's been helping her with a couple of her assignments," she replied, picking up a large red folder from her desk, "I don't know where he finds the time but Cassie and I sure appreciate it. Why?"  
  
Sam swallowed, "I think there's something going on between them."  
  
She then told Janet what she had witnessed in the dining hall earlier.  
  
Dr Fraiser sat down, heavily, in her leather chair and looked up with earnest eyes to Sam, "Sam, are you sure?"  
  
Sam nodded, yes, she was sure with mind and heart, "when did you last check Jonas out?"  
  
"MRI scan about a month ago, everything was clear."  
  
"Hi mum, hi Sam," Cassie breezed into the room and went and kissed Janet's forehead, "What y'doing?"  
  
"Talking about you, actually," replied Janet trying to hide the emotion building in her voice.  
  
"What, how wonderful I am", she said, dancing around the room like a mock ballerina.  
  
"No, about you and Jonas, Cassie. Is there something you want to tell me?"  
  
Cassie thought quickly, not wanting to look either of them in the eye, "Between me and Jonas? Duh, come on mum, he's way too old for me, although he's kinda cute, you've said so yourself."  
  
"Cassie," Sam said, taking a few steps toward where the teenager was standing, "I observed you both in the canteen earlier, I saw you communicating telepathically."  
  
"Observed Sam? That sounds very 'Teal'c'," then she walked to where Janet was sitting, crouched down and took her hand. "Please be cool about this," she said looking sincerely into Janet's soft eyes, "we were going to tell you, we were going to tell you all. Me and Jonas found we have this, like, connection, like, he's part of me and I'm part of him. We've opened up doors in each other's minds; I can't explain how I feel, except, except, I feel right, I feel whole. Look."  
  
Cassie stood up and the red folder levitated in the air, it opened and the pages flicked as if someone was reading them. A pen climbed from the tabletop then began to cart wheel about the room like an angry insect. Janet's top, two, desk drawers started to open and close and Sam was elevated off the floor a couple of centimetres.  
  
"Cassie, stop it, stop it," Janet pleaded, "You know how dangerous this is, you know what happened last time."  
  
The folder and pen fell to the floor, broken and lost. Sam came back to earth and the drawers gaped. "But this time it's different, like, I knew you wouldn't understand, I knew it. For once I feel like I've a purpose, like all I went through at the hands of that bitch Nirrti was for something. Jonas has given me this, just as I've helped him to find his reason, too. You've gotta see it, look at me, please, can't you tell, not as a doctor but as a mother, please?"  
  
"But Cassie, honey," Janet soothed, "You're just a child. You don't have to have a purpose, not yet, you've got years to decide what...."  
  
"No, you don't get it, I'm not a child, I never was, THIS is what I am and THIS is who I am," she ran out the room holding back the tears that were surging with frustration.  
  
"Should I go after her?" Sam asked.  
  
"No Sam, thanks, best let her cool off. I think I'll go have a word with our Mr Quinn though," Dr Fraiser replied, her voice fiery.  
  
"I think you'd better let me do that. You wait here for Cassandra to come back."  
  
Sam found Jonas in his room. He was sat on the bed and looked at her as she entered, smiling half-heartedly.  
  
"Is she very mad?" He enquired.  
  
The Major frowned for a second and then gave up, "Yeah, Jonas, she's mad alright. What were you thinking? You know you've nothing to prove to me or anyone else at SGC and to bring Cassie in on it too? Hell Jonas, I'm mad at you myself!"  
  
"Sam," he began, his voice soft and poetic, "this isn't about proving myself, it's about what's right, what's preordained."  
  
"Jonas we've had this discussion before.."  
  
"You were wrong Sam. Some things are set, some paths are meant to be walked, maybe only to a certain point, but our destinies are fixed to get us there, one way or another."  
  
He massaged the back of his neck and continued, "I know it's not very scientific, I know it's hard for you to believe what's happen to both of us but we've changed, we've become, ...complete."  
  
He motioned for her to sit with him and then went on to explain to her what had happened on his and Cassie's first meeting, their newfound skills and how he thought they would be able to read the ancient's text.  
  
Major Carter studied the floor for a long time after he'd finished, to be honest, she didn't know what to 'believe'. What he'd just told her swam against her logical tide and she really needed to rationalize it. She looked up into Jonas's face; God there was something there, something in those tranquil green eyes, a nobility radiating from their core that she had never noticed before. Had it always been there?  
  
She smiled, "Okay kiddo, you've got me on your side," she said roughing the pliable spikes of his hair, "but on one condition, you need to get yourself down the infirmary tomorrow so Dr Fraiser can scan that hard head of yours. Oh, and if Cassie and I can't convince her about all of this, you'd best take your flack jacket."  
  
General Hammond sat at the head of the glass polished conference table his reflection impressive to the rest of SG1.  
  
"Dr Fraiser?" He began, nodding towards Janet.  
  
She took her brown-rimmed glasses from her face, holding them as reassurance, as she started her evaluation. "I've ran every conceivable test on both Cassie and Jonas and can find no signs of injury or damage. The MRI scans showed no abnormalities, in fact, I would have to say they are both in perfect health."  
  
The General acknowledged this and then turned to Daniel and Sam, "Dr Jackson, Major Carter, do you think it's possible that this 'idea' of theirs will work."  
  
Daniel coughed and looked up, sheepishly, toward Janet, "This text was written by the ancients it could be that it was meant to be read this way."  
  
"Sir," interjected Major Carter, "I've spent time with both Jonas and Cassie, they really believe this could work and I must confess to half believing it myself"  
  
Janet's pen noisily hit the desk and she crossed her arms, Jack cleared his throat and all eyes turned to General Hammond. "Okay people," he said, standing and placing his hands palms down on the table for emphasis, "we do this under Dr Fraiser medical supervision, if Jonas or Cassandra show any signs of distress we pull the plug immediately. Is that clear?"  
  
It was.  
  
Cassie and Jonas sat facing each other in the infirmary. They were attached to several pulsating monitors by white, plastic, umbilical cords. Janet was scrutinizing every tiny flutter of information the machines recorded; her body was wired too, by anxiety.  
  
Sam and Daniel were sat at a close distance, while General Hammond, Jack and Teal'c stayed by the door. Ever wonder how a lab rat feels? Thought Cassie.  
  
Jonas smiled, the machines bleeped, oops, smirked Cassie, better watch what I think.  
  
Jonas told their 'audience' that Cassandra would relay what they were witnessing, as he would be concentrating on keeping them connected to the stone.  
  
Colonel O'Neill raised his eyebrows at Sam as Jonas looked nervously across at them. Cassie felt this, so she took his hand, placed hers, gently, on top and then positioned them both onto the raised text.  
  
Just for a second the lights breath and the room trembled causing Dr Fraiser to sway slightly on her feet. Jonas looked into the teenager's face and felt an upsurge of electricity fill his body as Cassie's eyes became fixed and wide. He exhaled and the infirmary dissipated like melting ice leaving them in neutral space.  
  
"Cassie, are you alright, what's happening?" They could hear Sam's distorted voice twisting around them.  
  
"We're sorta waiting, it's alright."  
  
An opening gradually materialized in front of them and from it emerged the man, Jonas had seen before, in the blue robes. He seemed taller than earlier and drifted rather than walked, his garments covering his feet. He was aged by centuries, yet his face was not old and his eyes were a mesmerising violet, full of honour and piety. He touched Jonas's forehead with his fingertips finding the questions that were nestling there and an amusement spread across his face like a sunrise.  
  
"I will give you what you seek," his voiced oscillated, "the first key."  
  
The co-ordinates burnt into their minds as the man bowed and began to fade; it was then Cassie noticed a coldness creeping through her.  
  
She looked over her shoulder and saw a hooded figure with no face. "Anubis," she heard Daniel spit as she described him.  
  
He moved toward Jonas, totally ignoring her presence, as if some sort of curiosity drew him. "Cassie," it was Sam, "can you here me honey, you need to get out of there NOW!"  
  
"I can't," she said, concern showing in her voice, "Jonas has 'switched off', the hooded guy's trying to link with him."  
  
Anubis was now face to face with Jonas his breath staining the young Kelownan's cheek as he went to touch his forehead.  
  
It was then Daniel decided to 'pull the plug' by removing their hands from the stone. Jonas was thrown, high, against the medical facility's wall and Cassandra fell to the floor. Nobody moved for a second then Cassie picked herself up, breaking the other's immobility. "Cassie?" Dr Fraiser inquired.  
  
"I'm okay, mom, how's Jonas?"  
  
Sam rolled him over so she could check his pulse, blood was leaking from his nose. "He's out cold," she said.  
  
"He'll be okay, that normally happens, his body just needs time to recuperate," answered Cassie.  
  
"I'll let your mother be the judge of that, young lady," said General Hammond as he watched Teal'c and Jack lift an unconscious Jonas onto a waiting bed.  
  
"Cassie," Daniel spoke her name softly, "do you know how long Anubis was there, did he 'hear' the co-ordinates?"  
  
"I don't know. I just went all cold and when I turned round he was there, staring?"  
  
"Staring?" Asked Sam.  
  
"Yeah at Jonas. Then he tried to connect with him, all I could feel were these creepy, dark vibes."  
  
"Cassie, did Anubis connect with Jonas?" Daniel softly enquired.  
  
Before Cassie could answer General Hammond spoke, "what's your thinking Dr Jackson?"  
  
"Sir, I'm just thinking that Anubis is a very powerful being, if he did link with Jonas he may of."  
  
"Turned him to the 'dark' side?" Input Colonel O'Neill a bit too theatrically.  
  
Daniel gave a small shrug and they turned to look at Dr Fraiser examining the Kelownan.  
  
"No," spat Cassie with venom, "I saw Jonas building a wall to stop him, I felt it go up brick by brick, that Anubis guy didn't make it in, Jonas was too strong."  
  
"Cassie, honey", soothed Sam, placing her arm round the young girl's shoulders, "are you sure?"  
  
"Yes Sam, I am." 


	4. The Chapter With The Smiling

Just a filler, before our journey continues..  
  
Still don't own SG-SG1, any Star Wars Characters or the Dark Side  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
SG1 were 'good to go', on Jonas's co-ordinates, but there was a delay in departure due to a medical emergency, off world, with SG4.  
  
Colonel O'Neill walked the corridors of the SGC preparing for the upcoming mission; he didn't like delays, he always got 'fidgety'.  
  
Sam caught up with him on his third loop, she had that smile, "Carter," he commented, "you've got that smile."  
  
"Sir?"  
  
"You know, that, 'I'm gonna ask Jack to do something', smile."  
  
"No sir, may I walk with you?"  
  
Jack looked at her, suspiciously for a moment, and then continued to walk.  
  
"Do you think we'll find the key, sir?" Sam continued.  
  
"Well, Cassie, Jonas, Daniel and 'you' thought we would Carter, or did I dream the meeting earlier?"  
  
"No sir, in fact that's where I've just come from, the infirmary, visiting Jonas, you know Dr Fraiser put him on bed rest?"  
  
"Yes, I've read the report."  
  
"And Daniel's there at the moment, and Teal'c visited earlier...."  
  
Jack stopped and turned to face Sam, "your point Carter?"  
  
"I thought seeing as we are waiting for SG4 that you might like to see Jonas too."  
  
"I'm busy at the moment Major."  
  
"Oh, sorry sir, can I help?"  
  
Jack hesitated, "no, I'm doing 'things', Colonel type things."  
  
"Yes sir," she replied and smiled that smile again. The 'he's gonna do it' smile.  
  
Jack popped his head around the infirmary door and saw Daniel talking to Jonas. He went to carry on walking when he heard Daniel's voice, "Jack, hi, I'm just leaving."  
  
Damn, O'Neill thought and went through the door.  
  
Daniel noticed Jonas stiffen in the bed and take a more military stance, he smiled secretly, remembering when Jack use to have that affect on him.  
  
"Dr Jackson," Jonas said with pleading eyes, "you don't have to go."  
  
"Sorry Jonas," Daniel replied, "I need to check on stuff."  
  
"Dr Jackson type stuff?" O'Neill asked.  
  
"Yeah, Jack," he said on passing with a 'Sam got you to come' smirk on his bowed face.  
  
Jack moved across to the bed and smiled at Jonas.  
  
Jonas smiled back  
  
"So, you feeling any better?"  
  
"Yes Colonel, thanks."  
  
"No side effects from your encounter with big 'A', like your not gonna turn all Darth Vader on us?"  
  
Jonas looked puzzled.  
  
O'Neill held up his hand, "forget it, earth joke."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Silence.  
  
"So, Jonas can you..?"  
  
"No, Colonel I can't."  
  
"Then, how did you..?"  
  
"Because everyone who's visited has already said, 'hey, Jonas can you guess what I'm thinking?' Or 'hey Jonas, can you read my mind?'"  
  
"Ah."  
  
More silence.  
  
Jonas looked down at the bedspread and picked at a bit of fluff, then stated, "Sam told you to come."  
  
"No, no, not at all," O'Neill said cautiously, "I was passing, out there in the corridor, and thought.."  
  
Jonas looked at Jack with those wide, disbelieving eyes.  
  
"Yeah, Sam told me to come, not that I wasn't, it's just I got caught up with stuff."  
  
"Colonel, if you rather be somewhere else, I'm fine, I'll be up and about when Dr Fraiser returns, she'll need the bed," replied Jonas hoping Jack would leave soon. He forgot how nervous Colonel O'Neill made him.  
  
Jack looked into the young man's sincere face; he forgot sometimes how hard it must be for this kid, an alien, living on a strange planet, with no contact to family or members of his own race and unable to go back to his own world. Yet, he'd embraced this new experience with open arms and a warm smile, never feeling sorry for himself, never regretting his choice.  
  
Jack coughed into his hand, "Y'know Jonas, what you did, giving up your home, everything you've known, for the truth, not many of us would have done that, made that choice."  
  
"You have sir and the rest of SG1, sacrificed everything to defeat the Goa'uld."  
  
"That's why we're a team, Jonas, all of us."  
  
The Kelownan smiled, with eyes and lips, which enveloped the whole room and part of Colonel O'Neill's heart. Jack smiled back into those majestic, green, eyes and wondered why he'd never, really, got to know this strange young man. Maybe Daniel's 'death' had shrouded that; maybe part of him didn't want to get too close to the alien, that to some extent, he blamed for Daniel's demise.  
  
Jack coughed again, "you know, when all this is over perhaps we could go fishing?"  
  
Jonas raised his eyebrows in surprise, "all this?"  
  
"Yeah," said Jack making circling motions with his arms, "all this."  
  
"I'd like that," replied Jonas and then very softly, almost to himself, he murmured, "Jack."  
  
If O'Neill heard he chose not to say anything only, "you do realise that you have to be quiet, though. Fishing is a very quiet sport, man, rod, water, quiet."  
  
The alarm went off to signal the return of SG4 through the stargate.  
  
"Well, practice on the quiet while we're gone, okay."  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
Jack got up to leave, "Colonel," Jonas said, "good luck finding the key."  
  
Jack saluted and Jonas relaxed.  
  
Colonel O'Neill joined Teal'c, Sam, and Daniel by the stargate, they were all smiling at him, well apart from Teal'c but Jack could see he was smiling inwardly.  
  
"So Jack," asked Daniel as he stood beside him, "you saw Jonas."  
  
"Yes Daniel, I did."  
  
More smiling.  
  
"And for your information, when all this is over, we're going fishing."  
  
"Fishing, O'Neill?" Enquired Teal'c eyebrow raised  
  
"When all this is over?" Asked Sam.  
  
"Yes, all this and yes fishing, you know, man, rod, water, quiet," reiterated Jack.  
  
"Indeed," answered Teal'c, eyes front, looking into the gate, "I believe Jonas Quinn has never fished before."  
  
"Well, knowing Jonas, by the time we're back, he would have surfed the web and soaked up as much info about every aspect of fishing," Major Carter expressed with amusement and to Jack's annoyance.  
  
Teal'c acknowledge this statement with a regal nod.  
  
"Okay people, shall we rock and roll," Jack said, pulling on his cap and four of the members of SG1 stepped through the event horizon.  
  
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Next time: Through the Stargate! 


	5. The Journey Begins

Disclaimer still stands.  
**************************************************************************** ********************************************  
  
"Wow, this is welcoming," observed Colonel O'Neill, as the four of them were met by a thick blanket of fog, "let's keep together people, no wandering off," he added, looking directly at Daniel.  
  
"I've never seen fog like this sir," added Carter excitedly, "visibility must be down to five or six feet."  
  
"Yep," replied Jack tripping over an unseen tree root, "Daniel any ideas?"  
  
Daniel began to form an answer when Teal'c interrupted him, "O'Neill over here"  
  
Jack looked around and as big as the Jaffa was he could not see him, "now, what is it about, 'do not wander off', you people did not understand?"  
  
"Over to your left, O'Neill, I have found a doorway."  
  
They gathered around an entrance which was in the form of stone steps leading deep underground, "great," Jack exclaimed, "why's it always underground? Why can't there ever be a nice open plan structure?"  
  
"I believe that the weather on this planet would make that impossible," Teal'c answered.  
  
"Okay then, smart guy, you get to go first."  
  
Teal'c nodded and lead them cautiously down the many steps to a dimly-lit complex of stone rooms.  
  
Staff weapon burns decorated the rock of the crudely cut walls, which dripped with slime and overgrown mould. The air was thick with age and dust making Major Carter cough, the sound of which echoed off the walls until it became trapped in the rock.  
  
They passed a room, which could only be described as a dormitory. Rows of small uncomfortable beds, derelict and abandoned now, with unformed numbers chiselled above them. The room was stark and uninviting with a cold, hard, clinical air about it. Something caught Daniel's attention by bed number 'six' so he walked over to investigate. There, roughly cut into the stone, was a childlike drawing of the night sky. "Daniel?" Jack enquired.  
  
"Look how small these beds are," he said motioning with his hands, "these weren't made for adults."  
  
"Children?" Said Jack, the word feeling like a shard of glass in his throat.  
  
Daniel looked around at the bleak greyness of these 'quarters' and something in his stomach knotted, "Yeah, children."  
  
"Sir, Daniel" called Sam who was stood with Teal'c in what looked like a neglected infirmary.  
  
Fragments of glass carpeted the floor like a green, tinted, mosaic while all around destroyed technology lay frayed and scorched in a frenzy of abuse.  
  
Sam examined a six-foot glass tank that had melted rather that shattered, "Fish tank?" O'Neill asked.  
  
"No sir, I think it's more for human development," she nodded toward a DNA sequence painted above the door.  
  
"Cloning?" Raised Dr Jackson walking to where Sam was stood, eyes fixed on the glass box.  
  
"Yes, and by the looks of it there was more than one tank," she said as she kicked at the glass littering the floor.  
  
"O'Neill, Major Carter," came Teal'c's strong voice, "we are not alone."  
  
They went out to where the Jaffa was poised, his staff weapon pointing towards the diminishing light of the corridor.  
  
"Is it he?" Whispered a voice creeping off the walls.  
  
"Has he come?" Another enquired, the sound flying around them like a soft breeze.  
  
"Teal'c?" Asked Jack  
  
"I can see nothing O'Neill."  
  
"Ninety-five, we've been waiting," reverberated around SG1, aggressively.  
  
"Is it he?"  
  
Suddenly a blinding light raced down the corridor like a fireball. Jack found himself thrown off his feet, the wind punched from his body and then darkness.  
  
"Damn," exclaimed Colonel O'Neill as he came round, shaking his head to lessen the ringing in his ears, "what the hell?"  
  
"Are you alright," enquired Teal'c as his strong hand helped Jack to his feet.  
  
Jack blinked for a moment so he could get a bearing as to where they were. It was not good. The four of them were in a rusty old cage, with no weapons. Daniel was resting against the metal and held his hand up to Jack to acknowledge he was all right and Carter was sat in the corner holding her head.  
  
"Major?"  
  
"I'm fine sir, just a headache."  
  
Jack looked at surrounding room, which was completely different to the rest of the complex. The walls were manmade, smooth and white. The room was large and in front of them was what seemed to be a bejewelled and decadent throne.  
  
"Fit for a system lord," Daniel remarked, seeing what Jack was looking at.  
  
"Any in particular?" He replied.  
  
Daniel shrugged.  
  
The door slid open and from the gloom a small man, about five feet in height, entered laughing. He sat crossed legged on the floor facing them saying, "must not touch, must not touch."  
  
"Hi," said Daniel smiling at the man who was, now, staring at the floor, rocking.  
  
He tried again, "Hi my name's Daniel."  
  
The man repeated his words, "Hi, my name's Daniel, my name's Daniel," he then stood up and slowly paced closer to the cage. Jack noticed the guy's boots were on the wrong feet.  
  
He looked at them, through gold coloured eyes, and singling out Teal'c, smiled a toothless grin. "I'm Jaffa, I'm Jaffa," he sang, patting his chest and dancing around.  
  
"Aren't you a little short for that?" said O'Neill.  
  
The man stopped, grasped his matted dark hair and pulled it violently, "am too, Jaffa, made from Jaffa. Am strong."  
  
He violently jump toward them, watching Colonel O'Neill through the mesh of metal, narrowing his eyes in the process and turning his head to one side, "say, Jaffa, say Nineteen is Jaffa."  
  
"Sir!" Major Carter said noticing smoke rising from the Colonel's jacket.  
  
"O'Neill," cried Teal'c and grabbed at the jacket, ripping it from Jack's body and throwing it to the floor, just as it burst in to flame.  
  
"Hell," yelled Jack and began to stamp on the embers that were once his clothing.  
  
"I think you'd better let me handle the communication from this point," said Daniel with a slight sigh.  
  
"All yours Danny boy, be my guest."  
  
Daniel continued, "Nineteen is that your name?"  
  
The grubby looking individual looked at Daniel suspiciously and then clapped, "you big brain man, not like he," pointing at O'Neill, "tiny mind, not thinker, good for carrying weapon and going boom!"  
  
"Nice."  
  
"Jack," Daniel gave him a look.  
  
"Okay, okay, 'Dr Jackson', you seemed to have a rapport going with our good buddy here perhaps you could ask him what he wants."  
  
Nineteen walked closer to the cage, this time looking at Sam, "girl," he stated.  
  
"Yes, her name's Sam," Daniel replied.  
  
The small man gave Sam a bright smile full of gums, "like Oma, the light lady"  
  
"Wait, you know Oma Desala?" Asked Daniel grabbing at the steel web.  
  
"Beautiful light, like the moon and stars in my head," he then spoke to Sam, "you must be the light from the sun, bright and clear?"  
  
The doors slid opened again and in walked two more men dressed in the same ill fitting grey tunic as Nineteen. The small man moved away, crossing his arms to his chest saying "did not touch, did not touch."  
  
One of the two was built like a Jaffa, tall and lean, but he had no symbol on his forehead. His one eye was closed up, the other was a blue-white mass and his hair was an erratic white.  
  
The second was bald and delicate, his eyes a vibrant pale blue. Sam looked at them thoroughly, noticing how pale they all were, their skin powdery and translucent, like living ghosts who'd never seen daylight.  
  
The one with the blue eyes spoke, "I am Six, this is Forty-four, you've already meet Nineteen."  
  
Daniel nodded and introduced everyone in the cage.  
  
Six moved closer and studied Teal'c. "You are Jaffa. Nineteen and Forty- four are Jaffa also."  
  
"You were cloned from Jaffa?" Delved Major Carter.  
  
"The Father-creator made us from his strongest. I am fashioned from first prime; some, like these, from his great armies and others from those he took from the stars. He gave us life, brought us into the universe and kept us from harm."  
  
He walked toward Major Carter and looked at her intensely, "you," he said with a gentle understanding, "you have walked through the effervescent colours too. The Father-creator gave us the colours to adapted us, to make our minds and bodies sturdy, to make us powerful so we could defeat his enemies."  
  
"What happen?" She asked drawn to those pulsating eyes.  
  
"We, like you, could not walk in their beauty for long. We failed him. Most of us were weak in spirit and mutated. Those who were not strong were taken in the night to their journey's end. Even the five he created from his own body, four of them perished in the birthing tanks misshapen and useless. Only Ninety-five was whole and pure."  
  
"He not one of them?" Asked Nineteen, "she said he'd come back, promised."  
  
"No brother, he is not here but I feel him close. They have travelled far, through the gates of many worlds I will find him in them, do not fear, I can sense it", replied Six walking over to where Daniel was stood.  
  
He held up his hand feeling Daniel's presence, "you walked once in the footsteps of the enlighten with the one called Oma. You chose to follow your heart, as it was written you might when you took that journey, I see it in your aura. You are stronger than you think Dr Jackson, more so than others who walk above you, there is honour in your choice, friendship is a strength worth fighting for."  
  
Six began to cough, it rattled through his body like old bones. The one called Forty-four laid his hand on the frail being's chest, a blue light seared onto his torso, calming the convulsion.  
  
He continued. "There were not many of us left at the end. The Father- creator's enemies were closing in on him. They were jealous and wanted what he had built."  
  
"Nirrti?" Sam asked looking at Daniel.  
  
"The Father-creator had many enemies," Six told her, "they were frightened of him, of his power. So he destroyed everything to stop them stealing his technology; his Jaffa used their weapons to cleanse this place and to take us to our journey's full circle."  
  
"But you survived?" Questioned Daniel.  
  
"Oma saved us, she took us into her light and shielded our bodies. There were six of us, originally, including Ninety-five."  
  
"Why is this Ninety-five so special?" Jack asked  
  
Six shook his head and shrugged, "I do not know. Oma took him away from us, wiping his memory and hid him amongst the stars. She told us to await his return."  
  
Six began to cough again and fell to the floor. "We do not last long here before our journey's end," he said smiling at SG1 just as a small amount of blood seeped from his nose.  
  
Daniel couldn't stop it, neither could the rest of them, the name just harried from the back of their collective minds and slapped itself on their foreheads. It was the blood that was the trip switch, it was the similarity of the nosebleed that finally did it and their hearts knew who Ninety-five was. Jonas.  
  
Six got up relief relaxing his face, "thank you," he said and went to get SG1's communication device.  
  
When they were alone again O'Neill said, "so Carter, cloning, that means an exact replica of the 'thing' you've cloned."  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
"Now, I might be wrong here but I've never seen any mini Jaffa before."  
  
"Sir, Nineteen was duplicated from a normal Jaffa but he was genetically altered, re-sequenced, to give him additional abilities, which I suspect impacted on his development. He was probably exposed to the same machine that Nirrti used on myself and Jonas."  
  
"So somewhere there's a full blown version of our small friend?"  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"Okay," the Colonel continued, "so, by that rational, out there, there's a system lord that looks a lot like Jonas?"  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
"So how come we've never met him?"  
  
"It maybe, O'Neill," Teal'c answered, "that he is not a system lord but one who wished to gain power by building an army such as these. He may have been slain just after this building was destroyed."  
  
"But you've never met him?" The Colonel asked.  
  
"I have not. He may not of been worth Aphosis's attention."  
  
"Daniel?" Jack noted how quiet the younger man had been, his mind fixed in concentration.  
  
"Teal'c probably right Jack, our guy's faded into obscurity or dead," he replied but he felt something was gnawing deep in his soul, a murmur clearing its voice. 


	6. What we are is who we were

Disclaimers the same - wish they were but their not.  
  
=====================================================  
  
Six entered the room, again, carrying one of their communicators, "you, will contact your base and tell Ninety-five to join us," he motioned at Colonel O'Neill.  
  
"I think not," replied Jack.  
  
Six closed his eyes and held out both his hands, palms up. Jack felt a sharp pain connect with his head causing him to stumble backward.  
  
"Sir," Major Carter said with concern.  
  
"Ow," was all Jack could muster placing one hand on his throbbing head.  
  
He then felt himself shrink inside his body like someone had pushed him inward; he found he was unable to move his mind for himself.  
  
The door of the cage opened and 'Jack' stepped out into the white room.  
  
"You will say that Dr Jackson needs help with a translation," said Six handing the Colonel the radio, "then you will come back here."  
  
"Yes," he replied.  
  
Jonas stepped through the gate and was immediately fascinated by the fog that seemed to magnify around him. He kept to the left of the Stargate, as instructed, and soon found the stone staircase. Before he descended, though, he had the feeling that he was being watched. An icy intuition slithered up his spine as out of the corner of his eye, deep within the velvet like vapour, he thought he saw someone. "Hello," he stammered as he took as step into the entrance, "Sam is that you?"  
  
Several whispered voices, all talking at once, flew around him, as if they were part of the enclosing mist, making him twist and turn to avoid their outburst. He sensed someone rush past him and then he felt the searing pain of a Zat gun, "boom," someone whispered before he fell into obscurity.  
  
Jonas heard muffled tones as he tried to focus into consciousness. He felt a hand touch his chest turning his blood warm and then there was darkness and peace.  
  
Colonel O'Neill and the rest of SG1 watched over the semi lifeless body of the Kelownan, which had been placed, with care, in front of the cage almost an hour ago.  
  
Sam was the first to notice Jonas's eyes stir, "Sir, I think he's coming round."  
  
They all watched the young man slowly revive, his body cumbersome and stiff due to the charge he'd received.  
  
"Jonas, buddy, hey", gestured Jack through the metal.  
  
Jonas blinked and turned over sighting a well-worn military boot through the haze in his mind, "Colonel O'Neill, what are you doing in a cage," he said with great effort.  
  
"Oh you know, go-go dancing," came the sarcastic reply.  
  
Jonas sat slowly up, concentration showing on his face, "hey Sam."  
  
"Hey Jonas, wanta get us out of here?" She said smiling.  
  
He stood up, letting out a sigh as he did so, and started to walk over to the door of SG1's enclosure; then he stopped.  
  
"Jonas?" Daniel enquired.  
  
"Can't breathe," he gasped in breathless agitation, falling to his knees.  
  
The room about him faded as in his mind's eye he saw, green and cloudy water swirling around him; a distant memory had resurfaced.  
  
"Jonas what's happening?" Sam cried, the concern showing strongly in her voice, as she stretched her fingers through the mesh to touch him.  
  
Jonas couldn't hear her above the forceful beat of a heart monitor that was accelerating his fear of being trapped. He threw a weak fist at the glass that surrounded him and then kicked out at the bottom of the tank. This last desperate movement caused him to float upwards, with some power, until he was met by light and air. He began to cough, water expelling from his tender lungs to be replaced by oxygen.  
  
SG1 watched the young man convulse in front of them not knowing what was happening to their comrade. Sam kept talking to him, her voice soothing, hoping that it would bring him round from his fit.  
  
The door opened once more and their captors entered the room, "what the hell've you done to him?" Shouted O'Neill.  
  
Six answered his rant, "we have given him back his past and he has been re- born in his experiences that were hidden."  
  
He moved toward the cage and opened the door, "please," he gestured releasing them.  
  
Sam ran to where Jonas was huddled up against one of the walls, shaking. His eyes were moving rapidly seeing something that they couldn't.  
  
"Can't you help him?" She said her question directed towards Six.  
  
"We all can, please," he held his hand toward Sam, "take my hand."  
  
"Major," the Colonel said with some suspicion.  
  
"I will not harm you. We must help Ninety-five to come back to us. You are faces he is familiar with, faces of the now, you will help him find his path back. Please, join hands with us and we will join with him."  
  
Sam glimpsed a sceptical look on the Colonel's face as he linked hands with Nineteen. Nineteen looked up at Jack and mouthed the word 'boom' then the room vanished and only a surreal darkness remained.  
  
Voices oscillated from somewhere in the infinite, shadowy, landscape like spectres; some tormented and others menacing. Jack could only catch fragments of conversations and words that filled the space he was now occupying, "where are we?"  
  
Six turned to face him, "You are in Ninety-five's mind."  
  
Flashes of faces and moments buzzed around the group of interlopers in an array of coloured orbs. Some stopped and unfolded to reveal more of the memory, others spiralled into the gloom.  
  
Six pointed to large fracture of ivory light that had developed, "a pathway has opened we must enter."  
  
They all stepped inside and were once again in the complex's dormitory; only this time it was before the destruction. A small, shabby, boy, with a shaven head and sad green eyes sat down on a favoured, unoccupied, bed.  
  
"Jonas," Sam exclaimed.  
  
"The early years?" Replied Colonel O'Neill, eyebrows skyward.  
  
Six countered their conversation with a soft, "shhhh, we must be silent. At the moment his mind is feeding on the memories we have kept for him. If he senses we are within him he could block us."  
  
"Kept for him?" Daniel required more knowledge.  
  
"Yes, Dr Jackson, Oma transferred his past for us to retain until his return."  
  
"He seemed to be doing pretty okay without it," cut in O'Neill.  
  
"Colonel, our past is what makes us, it is what gives us future strength. I sense you are aware of this and use your historical demons to battle the ones of the now," Six replied holding Jack's very icy stare.  
  
"Now, please," he continued, "we must be quiet."  
  
The young Jonas had pulled covers around him and was staring at the doorway. "Is that you Ninety-five?" Whispered an even smaller Nineteen, "are you scared of the dark?"  
  
"They come in the night," Jonas replied speaking more to the murkiness of the room than his petite friend.  
  
A younger Six got up from the next bed and walked over to sit with the Kelownan. He put his arm about Jonas's shoulders and hugged him, "they will not come for you. You are of the Creator, you are gifted to be significant on your life's journey, see," he pointed to the drawing of the night sky on the wall. "We are the stars and yours is the brightest."  
  
"That me, that me," cried Nineteen excitedly, pointing to his own star, "biggest, strong one."  
  
"I am flawed," Jonas said, "I am not as the Father-creator."  
  
"No, you are more, Ninety-five," Six began, "you will be our great leader, guide us through the stars."  
  
"I be tough Jaffa, command many into battle. Crush enemies with my bear hands," animated Nineteen with a mock fight with Forty-four.  
  
Jonas brightened at his small friends attempt to down the large and weighty Forty-four. He started to laugh, "yes and forty-four will heal my troops and I will be merciful to those who offer me tribute," he got out of the bed and put his hands on his hips in an imperial manner, striding about importantly. "And Six will be my first prime teaching me in cultural and diplomatic things."  
  
He went and put his arm around Six who had his back to him, "Six?"  
  
The bald headed boy drew Jonas into the shadows away from the others, "Ninety-five, I will not be there with you," he began sadly, "I have failed the Father-creator, my task was undone today, they will come for me tonight."  
  
"No, no. I will not let them; they push you too hard for one not long made. No, you are my friend I will not let it be so."  
  
"You must let me go," Six said and dropped his head.  
  
Suddenly they heard the ominous metal footsteps of marching Jaffa. Two menacing figures came to where the boys were and roughly grabbed Six, pushing Jonas to the floor, "No," he cried reaching after his disappearing friend.  
  
"Sir," said Sam after the scene was played out, "the Jaffa, they had no symbols on their foreheads."  
  
"I noticed it too, Major Carter," Teal'c replied.  
  
"Come, we must move on," said the present Six, "there is another doorway opening."  
  
This time they stepped out into the white throne room. The two Jaffa were stood either side of the doorway watching a prostrate younger Six tremble before his system lord. It was this figure, sat nonchalantly before him, that Jack found intriguing; for the figure on the throne was Jonas.  
  
Well, not their Jonas, this one was callous looking, his face cruel with cold-blooded eyes. He was dressed in black and had the appearance of a buccaneer especially with the well-groomed goatee and heavy ring on his gloved finger. To be honest, Jack almost expected him to speak with a debonair British accent to authenticate the look.  
  
The system lord's voice was Goa'uld deep but his eyes did not light up. He began to pace around the small child, shaking his head, "you have failed me, boy, after I had such expectation of you; you mislead me," he put his hand to his heart faking pain.  
  
He sat back down on the chair as if exhausted picking up an elaborate cup of wine and drank from it, "now I have to terminate your journey as with all those who are worthless to me."  
  
He picked up a large, heavy double-edged sword that was hidden behind the throne and walked behind the cowering form of Six. "Kneel," he hissed.  
  
Six obliged and the system lord brought the sword up above the boy's head, a blood lust written in those green eyes, but before he could bring it down Jonas threw himself through the doors.  
  
"Stop," he yelled, "my lord you are making a mistake."  
  
"Insolent pup," said one of the Jaffa pushing Jonas to the floor, "bow before your creator."  
  
Jonas stood up looking the Father-creator in the eyes and replied, chin out, "I will not."  
  
The Jaffa went to strike the boy but the system lord held his hand up, "stop," the Jaffa retreated.  
  
"Well, what do we have here," the Father said, placing the sword down and walking to where Jonas was stood.  
  
"Ninety-five," replied Jonas eyes fixed as the stalking predator circled him.  
  
The system lord seemed interested, asking, "why am I making a mistake, Ninety-five?"  
  
"Father, Six has great abilities, more so than any off us, if you would just give him a second chance, he will prove this to you."  
  
"And you know this because?"  
  
"Because he is my friend, my lord."  
  
Jonas felt the sting of a slap connect with his face and the heavy ring bit into his flesh.  
  
"Friend?" The Creator spat, "Friendship is a weakness in those who wish to be strong."  
  
Jonas looked into the face of evil that was bearing down on him, "no sir, it is a strength."  
  
The system lord smiled, with unkind lips, "then prove it," he said threateningly.  
  
He motioned for Six to get up and stand where Jonas had been, "Ninety-five, son, come and take your friends place, kneel before me. Do not worry I am feeling somewhat merciful."  
  
The Kelownan did as he was bid gently touching his friend's shoulder as they passed, whispering, "I believe in you, never doubt that."  
  
"Good," said the Father when both boys were in place, "now we're going to play a little game."  
  
He called one of the Jaffa to stand in front of Six then placed the steel of the sword next to Jonas's neck, "now, Six, my little one, do not fear, I will let you live today. You may walk out of that door if you pass my test or not. What I want you to do is to snap my Jaffa's neck with your mind. Do this and you both shall live but if you fail you can take Ninety-five's head back to remind you all about friendship."  
  
The Jaffa looked up at his leader and smiled, there was no doubt in his mind this child was not up to the task.  
  
Six looked back at Jonas and prayed a silent prayer. He closed his eyes and felt deep within him for the power to do as he was bid. There was a sicken snap of bone and the Jaffa fell to the floor.  
  
The system lord released Jonas, "good boy, now that wasn't so hard was it?" and walked back to his throne.  
  
He sat down but suddenly held his stomach as an agonising pain shot through him. The boys watched as the Father-creator's body suddenly began to blur as if his soul and shell were out of sync and loosely tied together.  
  
A slave entered the room carrying a burdensome velvet cloak, eyes fixed to the floor. "My lord," he said, "you have overindulged, you must get back."  
  
The Father-creator took the cloak and draped it around him and began to walk from the room. He stopped when he got to Jonas and took the boy's face in his hand; "soon," he said and released the upturned face.  
  
Daniel, who like the others, had watched the events close before them, felt a sickening realisation spread through his abdomen. Pieces were beginning to fit but he hoped he was wrong.  
  
=====================================================  
  
Next (hopefully) - The pieces finally fit. 


	7. The Puzzles Of The Past

Disclaimer as is  
  
=====================================================  
  
They were back once more in the darkness, recollections smearing the shadows like small comets throughout Jonas's mind. Numerous ruptures began to appear like slices of daylight in this midnight of worlds. "What's happening?" Sam enquired, her eyes straining in the brilliance of light.  
  
"He is trying to hide from us," Six replied.  
  
"Why the hell would he do that?" Jack asked.  
  
"Sometimes, Colonel O'Neill, we try to conceal our past, not only from others but from ourselves. Our minds are an astonishing place where we can put away our ravens to fly with the doves."  
  
"You're being a bit vague here, Six buddy," said Jack.  
  
Six acknowledged this with a slight nod, "Ninety-five has found a place of contentment, a place of great meaning to him, where he feels safe."  
  
"In one of these fissures?" Questioned Sam.  
  
"I believe so," Six replied, "I will try and find him but it will not be easy, he is stronger than I ever imagined."  
  
He took a deep breath and closed his eyes; the others waited.  
  
"NO," a voice echoed around them turning in the darkness, "go away, leave me, let me rest."  
  
"Jonas?" Sam answered.  
  
"Please, go away, leave me."  
  
"We cannot," Six said, focusing his mind once more, the strain showing on his face. He put his hand to his head and swayed slightly, blood dripping from is nose, "I have found him, this way."  
  
They followed him once more into the light and found themselves on the serene sand of a bronzed beach.  
  
Nineteen looked up in wonder, "it beautiful as you," he said to Sam, "never saw, never saw before."  
  
He took a deep breath of salty air and began jumping around, arms stretched upward, trying to touch the magnificence of the sun. He then picked up handfuls of sand letting the soft breeze take it from between his small fists. He skipped around Sam with smiling gums and deep tears glistening in his eyes. "Beautiful," he struggled to say as his breathing became laboured then he collapsed on to the sand.  
  
Forty-four ran over to his side, "no, it my time," Nineteen cried, "Six, say words."  
  
Sam bent down and stroked his feverish forehead, "I see miracle of above mirrored in your eyes, flecks of gold against blue," he said touching the Major's soft cheek. "I go now, I march with joyful feet, my journey full circle."  
  
Six knelt beside them and took Nineteen's hand, "the sky's above me, the grass is so sweet, this journey's circle, will now be complete."  
  
Nineteen's eyes flickered as he sort out the face of O'Neill, "boom," he said and then he was gone.  
  
"O'Neill," Teal'c said, "I have located Jonas Quinn."  
  
They all looked up to see a lone figure, in the distance, skimming stones across the water.  
  
"Sir," Sam began, "I will go..."  
  
"No, Major Carter, I believe I should talk to Jonas Quinn," Teal'c cut in.  
  
"Teal'c?" O'Neill questioned but was met with a sternly raised eyebrow, "okay buddy, he's all yours."  
  
The Jaffa travelled along the sand to where Jonas was stood, "want a go?" He asked the tall dark one handing him a flat pebble.  
  
"I am not familiar with this game."  
  
Jonas threw another stone at the water, which skipped across the surface five times before drowning. "We used to come here a lot, when I was a child, Mum, Dad, my sister. We'd have grand picnics over by those rocks and then play in the water or on the sand, depending on the weather. The day used to last forever and we were even allowed to stay up and watch the colours of the sunset streak across the night sky. My mother would tell us to reveal our worries to dusk and the sun would take them down to the ocean and the moon would kiss their memory away."  
  
He sighed, shaking his head, "this place was special Teal'c, and now, now it's all been stolen and tarnished, like, a part of me was never real."  
  
Another stone was thrown angrily at the ocean floor, "it was Jonas Quinn," Teal'c countered, "It is this past that has made you who you are now, a young man who has both honour and integrity and whom I have the privilege of calling friend. You will find the balance in your soul and we will help you, remember you are not alone in this."  
  
Jonas smiled and Teal'c bowed slightly, "I was never, really, good at this anyway," the Kelownan said and threw his handful of pebbles to the ground, "my sister was always better at it than me."  
  
The Jaffa held his head to one side and promptly threw his stone across the water bouncing ten times before it fell, "indeed," he said, smiling inwardly.  
  
They walked back along the beach to where the others stood. Sam was leaning over the weakening body of Six, she looked up at Jonas, "he collapsed about a minute ago."  
  
Jonas fell to his friend's side, "Six?" he whispered.  
  
Six opened his eyes slightly, "Jonas," he said in a barely audible voice, "this name means dove, a symbol of peace." He began to cough.  
  
Jonas looked up at Forty-four who shook his head.  
  
Six put his hand to Jonas's chest, "my bright star you have lead me to this place, how wonderful it is, I am glad my journey's end will come surrounded by such. You must not let the spreading darkness take this from the universe, wherever it creeps remember the glow of here and it will aid your fight," he fell back onto the sand, breath rattling in his chest.  
  
He looked to the other members of SG1, "guard his heart, for it is a pure thing and new to the world of darkness," Six smiled at Jonas, "will you say the words my friend?"  
  
Jonas inhaled deeply and gripped Six's hand tightly as if to keep him there, "the sky's above me, the grass is so sweet, this journey's circle, will now be complete."  
  
Six closed his eyes and his body disappeared into the sand.  
  
The beach began to swirl around them leaving the white room, where they had started, in its place; the only difference being that Nineteen and Six were no longer there.  
  
Forty-four went over to were Jonas was now lying and placed his palm on the unconscious figure gesturing to O'Neill that he was sleeping.  
  
Jack raised his eyebrows, "Carter stay with Jonas, let me know when he comes round. Teal'c go back to the gate and inform General Hammond of our situation. Daniel," but Daniel had disappeared out the door, "damn it."  
  
The Colonel raced after him but he corridors were empty. "Where the hell?" he said looking around.  
  
"Jack," came a muffled voice from behind a solid wall.  
  
"Daniel?"  
  
"Press the symbol for all power, stability and life."  
  
Colonel O'Neill looked at the hieroglyphs carved into the wall, "hey Daniel wanna help me out here."  
  
There was a soft sigh, then, "the one that looks like a boat on the water, with a giraffe type thing and a person with a big head on board."  
  
Jack looked at he symbols again muttering, "boat, boat, giraffe type, ah," he pressed the icon and a doorway opened. "You know we really should have a team talk about wandering off... wow."  
  
O'Neill joined Daniel in a small chamber and on the floor, taking up most of the room, was a mini stargate. "Is that..?" Jack asked.  
  
"Yeah, I think it's a transportation device, a cross between a stargate and the rings on board a mother ship. It's static so you can't dial out. My guess is it's for travelling between two fixed points."  
  
"Wait 'till Carter sees this, she won't sleep for a month," Jack began, then, "why would anyone want a second device when the stargate's so near?"  
  
"Secrecy."  
  
"Secrecy?"  
  
"I think our guy didn't want anyone knowing he was travelling here."  
  
"Do you think it leads to the key?"  
  
"No Jack, I know where the key is," Daniel said half-heartedly.  
  
"Well let's get it before our friend big 'A' gets here."  
  
"Jack, Anubis isn't coming to get the key, he knows where it is."  
  
O'Neill gave him that puzzled look then, "Daniel?"  
  
"Okay," Daniel took a deep breath, "you remember what Cassie said when Jonas asked the 'blue robed guy' for the key?"  
  
"Um, remind me."  
  
"She said he found the question amusing."  
  
"So, this guy's gotta warped sense of humour, I can relate to that."  
  
Daniel carried on, "when we arrived here what did we find?"  
  
"The Three Stooges?" Jack said eagerly.  
  
Daniel sighed, "okay, let me put it another way, what have we found out."  
  
"That Jonas was 'born' here."  
  
Daniel waited, Jack looked at him, "you're thinking Jonas is the first key?"  
  
"Yup, and I also think Cassie is the second. That's why 'blue robe guy' found the question 'comical' because he already knew they were the keys."  
  
"But how would Anubis know?"  
  
Daniel crouched down to the floor and rubbed sand from a small cartouche on the inside of the ring.  
  
"What does that say 'Anubis was here'?" Jack joked.  
  
"No, it says 'Anubis the Father-Creator."  
  
Daniel watched the information count down on the Colonel's face then, wham, it hit him like a cannon ball to the stomach, "Jez, Daniel that would make Jonas.."  
  
"Yeah, Jack, it would."  
  
They didn't speak for a while, O'Neill paced around the chamber chewing on what he'd just heard while Daniel wished he was still ascended.  
  
"Are you sure Daniel, I mean you couldn't be wrong?"  
  
"I'm sure Jack. It would explain why Anubis was so fascinated when he saw Jonas."  
  
"Like a mirror thing," O'Neill replied, "I guess it's been a long time since that guy saw himself without the mask."  
  
Then he stopped and turned toward Daniel, a brightness forming on his face, "our nasty little friend has ascended, right?"  
  
Daniel nodded.  
  
"That means he's like, pure light?" Jack said doing a mystical thing with his fingers.  
  
Daniel nodded again.  
  
"So how can you clone pure light?"  
  
"Jack, you saw," Daniel tried to search for a better phrase but could find none, "Jonas the early years, you saw Anubis take corporeal form. Also, we've know idea how long he was planning this, this centre; he may of taken cells to clone before ascending. It's not like he's 'risen' through normal means."  
  
"Like death."  
  
"I prefer, passing on."  
  
"Okay, okay," Jack thought for a while, "I know that most system lords are egotistical bastards so why make only five little Anubis's, why not a whole army?"  
  
"Because in the end, he only wanted one. Maybe for a spare body if the ascension went wrong or maybe if he did ascend he wanted to leave a figurehead down here."  
  
"And who better to trust your empire to than yourself."  
  
Daniel acknowledged this.  
  
Jack continued, "then why didn't he take the kid with him?"  
  
Daniel rubbed his face, "Jonas was right, he was flawed, he wasn't perfect."  
  
"Compared to these other guys?"  
  
"Anubis has nothing but a black soul, Jack, Jonas is his opposite, he has his humanity."  
  
"Sir?" It was Major Carter.  
  
"Carter we're behind the wall, look for a giraffe in a boat," Jack answered.  
  
Then they both heard Jonas's voice and the button was realised.  
  
"Hi", the Kelownan's face peered into the chamber, closely followed by Sam's.  
  
"Wow, Sir is that what I think it is," she exclaimed looking at the ring on the floor.  
  
Jack looked to Daniel and he nodded back, "Major walk with me," O'Neill said leading her gently by her arm, "Jonas, Daniel has something to show you, we'll meet you back at the entrance when you're through."  
  
The Colonel shut the door behind him and released Sam, "Sir, what's going on?"  
  
Jack sighed, "let's find Teal'c, Major, I've something to tell you both."  
  
When Daniel and Jonas made their way up the stone steps the others were milling around outside.  
  
O'Neill looked Jonas in the eye and gave him a reassuring nod; Jonas was visibly pale and half smiled back at the Colonel, saying, "Um, Forty-four is staying here, it's his home, he doesn't want to leave."  
  
Sam went to say something but Jonas repeated the statement, "It's his home, Sam."  
  
She nodded.  
  
"Okay then people let's make a move for ours," Jack said adjusting his cap.  
  
Jonas looked back at the entrance for a while unable to move, "Jonas Quinn," called Teal'c, "we are leaving, we are going home."  
  
"Yes," whispered Jonas and quickly caught up with the rest of his team.  
  
The ring lit up in the small chamber and a masked figure appeared in its watery haze. He walked the corridors of what was once his grand experiment, his heavy cloak trailing in the dust on the floor. The dumb Jaffa knelt before his master knowing he was about to, painfully, complete his journey, as Anubis held out a gloved hand and raped forty-four's mind.  
  
=====================================================  
  
Thanks for reading :o)  
  
It was going to end here but another 2(?) chapters jumped on my head (ow).  
  
So the story will continue.........for a bit.  
  
Me 


	8. The First Link

Hi  
  
Disclaimers still the same - thanks to CT for beta reading and Pud-o  
  
Sorry, this is a long one, so you may need a beverage and a packed lunch to get through this...  
  
Hope you like it......  
  
====================================================  
  
Jonas recoiled from the nightmare that had been haunting him. It was only lunchtime and he had fallen asleep at the desk he was working at.  
  
He wiped a hand across his forehead and stretched his eyes making his brow wrinkle; he was tired and had made no head way on the translation. Sighing he picked up his copy of 'The Picture Of Dorian Gray' and headed for the infirmary to see Cassandra. She was recuperating after contracting a bad dose of glandular fever, a few of weeks ago, while at camp.  
  
The corridors of the SGC were almost empty as most personnel were attending the memorial service for Dr Shelia Brice. Brice was a scientist assigned to SG8, who had been killed by Anubis's Jaffa while on a peaceful mission two weeks ago. She had been very popular with most on the base and her death had added to the SGC's declining morale; hers was not the first death they had, had to deal with lately.  
  
Anubis always seemed to be two steps ahead of them and most thought that he had infiltrated base security; fingers were pointing and Jonas knew where.  
  
He entered the infirmary, Dr Fraiser was at her desk, chewing at the pen she held, "I thought you'd be at the service?" Jonas said apologetically.  
  
"No, I wanted to stay with Cassie, she had a bad night, again," she smiled.  
  
Janet looked up at Jonas; he looks tired, she thought, I wonder if he's having problems sleeping too. She noticed the book in his hand, "she's sleeping at the moment, Jonas, do you want to come back later?"  
  
"Yeah, I guess," he replied scratching the back of his head.  
  
"Jonas," she touched his arm and smiled, "you know Cassie's illness is very common in adolescence and has nothing to do with her new 'abilities', don't you?"  
  
He gave her a modest smile and looked down, "you know," she said, "I was getting bored, just eating my pen, you want a game of chess?"  
  
The smile broaden, "are you challenging me, Dr Fraiser?"  
  
"You bet ya, as long as you don't mind meld with me."  
  
Jonas sighed and rolled his eyes, "Okay, as long as you don't do that thing with your nose."  
  
"What thing?"  
  
"The crinkly 'thing' when you think."  
  
Janet covered her nose with her hand, "I do not."  
  
Jonas nodded, "you do," and wrinkled his nose to show her, "it's kinda cute, off putting, but cute."  
  
Janet blushed and they began and finished a very stimulating game.  
  
Jonas laid his king down on the board and shook his head with amusement, "where did you learn moves like that?"  
  
"At college," Dr Fraiser replied almost flirtatiously, "I was in the chess club," she let her head rest in her hands and smiled at him.  
  
The Kelownan smiled back and they both let their thoughts linger for a while until Janet got up to check on Cassandra.  
  
"I'll go grab a tea," he said heading for the door.  
  
"Jonas, are you sleeping okay? It's just that Cassie's been having nightmares lately and I was wondering...?  
  
"I've been sleeping fine," he lied.  
  
Janet knew he was not telling the truth, he was a hopeless liar, "you know, if you need to talk."  
  
"Yeah, I know," he answered back and went out the door.  
  
When he got to the canteen it was heaving with dress uniforms, the service was over and a good number of the SGC were reminiscing over coffee and jelly doughnuts. Jonas flinched at the spiralling emotions that were flowing through him; he had to get away.  
  
"You're not welcome here," said an irritated voice.  
  
Jonas turned to see Captain Jardine, of SG8, glaring at him. He felt the man's fury and rage slam into his mind like an iron baseball bat as Jardine moved toward him and pushed him, hard, into the wall.  
  
"Hey what's going on here?"  
  
The two men looked toward Colonel O'Neill who had just stepped into the corridor.  
  
Jardine answered him, "I was informing 'junior' here to obtain his beverage from elsewhere in the facility," and then he spat, "sir."  
  
The Colonel looked between the men, "Jonas?" He enquired.  
  
The Kelownan didn't answer him but looked to the floor, "okay Captain, dismissed, I'll see to 'Junior'."  
  
Jardine saluted with attitude and walked back into the mess.  
  
Jack saw that Jonas was shaking and breathing rapidly, something was not right. He leaned toward him, "don't touch me," Jonas said his face contorted with venom.  
  
The Colonel stepped back, something in Jonas's eyes unnerved him, "Jonas," he said again.  
  
"Stay away from me, Jack," he added, his voice deep and strained.  
  
"Hey," O'Neill started but before he could finish he was thrown off his feet to the floor.  
  
They looked at each other for a moment and Jack noticed a transformation in the young man's eyes, as the realization of what he had just done, hit home.  
  
Jonas swallowed and stared at O'Neill, wide-eyed. He went to say something but thought better of it and backed away down the corridor before turning and running.  
  
Teal'c and Sam found the Colonel getting to his feet; puzzled looks on both their faces. "I think Jonas has gone rabid on us," Jack said dusting himself down.  
  
"Sir?" Sam asked.  
  
Jack held his hand up, "we need to find him," he stated.  
  
===============================  
  
Jonas went to his room. He flung the door open with such force that it shut again with a thud that seemed to echo around the SGC; but he didn't notice. He was elsewhere. He muttered inaudibly as he started to pound his palm against his head as if trying to free something trapped. He picked up a magic marker from the bedside cabinet and commenced writing hieroglyphs on the clean walls in a rapid scrawl.  
  
Daniel knocked on Jonas's door, after hearing it crash against its surround, but got no answer. He tried again, still nothing, so he pushed the door open.  
  
"Jonas?" He said watching the blue marker squeak with words against the wall.  
  
The Kelownan ceased and turned to face him, muttering as he bashed his palm, once more, to his forehead, "Go, leave me. You, you're in my head, everybody's in my head. I feel you now, your hurt, the breaking of your heart."  
  
He commenced thumping his heart with a fist, "I suffer your lost too, Dr Jackson, it's there, around you, clawing its way inside of me. I hear her name, 'Sha're, Sha're', and the tears you've wept at that very sound."  
  
He backed away from Daniel, holding his hand out at arms length as if to ward off some evil spirit.  
  
Jack, Teal'c and Sam arrived, "wow," Jack exclaimed seeing Jonas's walls, "nice look."  
  
Daniel interrupted him, "Jack, Jonas isn't feel well, he says I'm in his head."  
  
The Colonel took a step into the room.  
  
Jonas stopped muttering and pressed himself closer to the wall, "no stay out, get out of my head!"  
  
"Teal'c why don't you go and get Dr Fraiser?" O'Neill said not taking his eyes of the cowering figure of Jonas.  
  
"Yes, yes," Jonas said, running his hand through his hair, "why not invite the whole SGC in here while you're at it. Why not invite SG9. You know what replays in their heads," he said pointing to his cranium, "the Augeans. You remember them, our newest allies, massacred by Anubis."  
  
Jonas began pounding his forehead again, pacing the room, one eye cautiously on his colleagues. "Bodies, the ground thick with bodies, frozen with rigor in death's painful poses. Old, young, and children in their mother's arms, bows and arrows no match for Jaffa staff weapons. Flies, I can hear them, swarming, partying on the feast Anubis left them, so many flies, it's the heat, you know, the heat from the two suns.  
  
"You remember their Mayor, Jack, what was his name? R-Rio-Riordan, yes Riordan. You remember how he had those bits of string tied round his fingers so he wouldn't forget any points he had to raise when he visited the SGC, do you remember?"  
  
The Colonel nodded, looking at the others for support, "well, they nailed him to the temple, Jack, for us to find," Jonas continued, "and you know what? He still had a string tied around his index finger. What did he forget, do you think, to stop the Jaffa from coming through the gate?"  
  
He began to laugh.  
  
"Jonas," O'Neill said trying to soothe him, "we've all read SG9's report, we've.."  
  
"No, you don't get it. I see it. I endure what Adkins, Shaw, Harper and Reeves saw and felt that day, when they went back through the stargate. I feel their emotions, here," he said pointing to his temple, "so strong, I can even smell.."  
  
"Jonas," Sam said noticing the blood beginning to ooze from his nose, "you need to calm down."  
  
"It's not just the Augueans, it's that kid Haynes, you know, the rookie, his first trip through the stargate, just a routine mission; boy, did we get that wrong. P3X-P3X-P3X1305 was inhabited, by, guess who, Anubis's Jaffa. I see everything Major Briggs saw. His team falling one by one and Haynes receiving the staff blast to the face. I hear his scream vibrate through my body, day after day after day."  
  
"Okay, Jonas, enough," O'Neill marched into the room, determined to stop the Kelownan's outburst, grabbing him by the arm.  
  
"I feel your pain, too, Jack," Jonas said his breathing becoming sporadic, "I see it, clear in my head."  
  
"Jonas," Sam warned, trying to stop him from continuing.  
  
"I hear the shot, I see your son's bedroom, I see..", Jack punched him square on the jaw and Jonas dropped to the floor.  
  
Sam and Daniel stood still, not daring to move, not daring to breathe. Jack moved away from Jonas flexing his hand.  
  
"Sir?" Sam went and stood by him.  
  
"I only have one nightmare," O'Neill whispered, "and its mine. I can't comprehend what it would be like to share someone else's."  
  
Daniel was helping Jonas to his feet when Dr Fraiser and Teal'c returned. She took one look at the Kelownan and said, "what the hell happened?"  
  
It was Jonas who answered, "I, I fainted."  
  
Janet looked doubtful, "let's get him over to the bed."  
  
Jonas sat with his head in his hands; Sam explained what had happen, while Dr Fraiser examined him, "Jonas how long has this been going on?" She asked.  
  
"A, a few weeks. People are in a lot of pain, emotionally, out there. They try and hide it but it's so intense, I think they need someone to blame and I'm the nearest thing to Anubis."  
  
"These emotions you've been experiencing have they gotten stronger over these last few weeks?" Sam asked.  
  
"Yes, I can't shut them out, I was able to before but now they thrust their way in without any warning, especially after the death of Dr Brice, there's a lot of hurt out there."  
  
"There could be another reason," replied Sam.  
  
The Colonel turned to face them all, "Okay Carter, I'll bite."  
  
"Sir, we believe that Anubis has someone working for him inside this base."  
  
Jack nodded.  
  
"Well, when we were sweeping the base to check for bugs we picked up a low amplitude, almost background signal. The signal was too weak and intermittent to cause us any concern and we dismissed it as a naturally occurring anomaly. What if we were wrong? What if someone is using a device to tap into Jonas's brain, sending him the amplified emotions of the base?"  
  
"And they would do that because..?" O'Neill asked.  
  
"Because Jonas has a special talent for reading people, especially with his enhanced abilities, I bet he could find our infiltrator in no time."  
  
"But not if he's being blocked?" Dr Fraiser added.  
  
Sam nodded.  
  
Jack looked sceptical, "could you track this 'device'?"  
  
"I don't know sir."  
  
"Daniel?" Jack said noticing he was studying the symbols on the wall closely.  
  
"Jonas," Daniel asked, pushing his glasses to his nose and tapping the wall, "where did you get all this from?"  
  
The Kelownan looked up his face was flushed, his hair damp, "I've been having this dream," then he added, "nightmare. I can't remember it clearly, just the symbols, streaming through my mind before I wake up."  
  
"What is it Daniel?" Sam went over to where he was stood.  
  
"They're all symbols for ancient earth cities," he pointed to a few, "Kish, Larsa, Mohenjo Daro, Babylon."  
  
"And?" Jack was wondering.  
  
"Maybe the Ancient's city is one of them," Daniel said excitedly, "Jonas, this 'dream' you've been having can you remember anything?"  
  
Jonas shook his head then looking at Dr Jackson's eager face said, "I can try."  
  
He closed his eyes as if meditating.  
  
About a minute passed and all he could see was darkness. He concentrated harder, reaching the furthest depths of his mind, touching those things hidden in our twilight. He felt himself being propelled forward, time rushing through his consciousness like water, he then opened his mind's eye and saw his nightmare. He took a deep breath.  
  
"Jonas?" Daniel asked.  
  
"I'm on the planet," Jonas said but everyone in the room knew it was not him, his voice was different, the characteristics of his face had changed.  
  
Jack looked across at SG1, confused.  
  
Daniel continued, "what planet?"  
  
"I do not know, it has not been named yet, shall I name it for myself, Ragnarok."  
  
"Destiny of the gods," Daniel whispered, then, "did you use the stargate to get there?"  
  
Jonas looked round at the room but was seeing the planet, he then smiled, "no I used my glider. We may not build a stargate here."  
  
"What are you doing there?"  
  
"Exploring, I am what you call an explorer. We scanned this planet a few days ago and found it uninhabited, I have been assigned to take soil and vegetation samples for analysis on my return," he replied indifferently.  
  
"Return to where."  
  
"My home world."  
  
"Earth?"  
  
Jonas laughed, "Earth is a minute speck in this great galaxy, inhabited by warring, small minded tribes who lack vision and leadership. My mother thinks they show great potential," he spat, "the planet is under her protector-ship. I believe they are not worthy of such an indulgence, they are such basic creatures, but the council disagreed and had a stargate erected."  
  
"Did you erect the stargate on earth?" Sam enquired.  
  
"No, the council and my mother, the great Oma Desala, did. Well, the earth creatures did, you don't expect superior beings, like ourselves, to do manual labour."  
  
"No of course not," Jack added.  
  
Jonas sighed, "Now I really must get on with my 'task', mother believes I am getting lazy, so she sent me to this forsaken wilderness to prove a point. You know there's only so much self-righteousness a person can take in one lifetime," he rolled his eyes for emphasis.  
  
"There's a vast body of water here," Jonas continued, "I supposed I should collect a sample."  
  
In his mind Jonas moved closer to the water, crouched down and put his hand in the liquid, "it's warm," he said, surprised.  
  
There was movement in its depths making the surface twitch, "the water holds some sort of creature."  
  
He peered down, determined to catch one in the receptacle he was holding. There was a flick of water and something began to choke him.  
  
Jonas grabbed at his throat, his breathing obstructed. Dr Fraiser tried to remove his hands that were fasten around his own neck, so she could clear his airways. He fought her off, continuing to roll around on the floor, experiencing the Goa'uld parasite attaching itself inside of him.  
  
He then got to his feet, his breathing solid, feeling the power surging through his body. He looked toward the distant horizon and his eyes lit up, "freedom," came the commanding voice from within him.  
  
He then smiled, lips parted in treachery, eyes green with intent saying, "for both of us, my slippery friend, for both of us."  
  
The room remained silent watching Jonas change back to himself, agony written on his face. He then began to throw up, "nice," O'Neill said looking towards Janet, "Doc?"  
  
"Help me get him to the infirmary."  
  
"No," Jonas replied, "I'm fine, really."  
  
"I'm the one qualified to determine that," Janet replied.  
  
"Jonas," Colonel O'Neill said tilting his head in the direction of the medical facility.  
  
The Kelownan got, gingerly, to his feet, "yes sir," he whispered and Teal'c helped him down the corridor.  
  
"Would someone get housekeeping in here," Jack shouted after them.  
  
"Jack, I need to log these," Daniel said pointing around the room.  
  
"All yours Daniel," O'Neill replied shaking his head.  
  
==================================  
  
General Hammond looked into the faces of SG1, "Dr Jackson," he asked, "would you run that by me again."  
  
"General," Daniel began, "we believe," pointing to Sam and Dr Fraiser, "that Jonas's 'nightmare' is actually a distant memory from Anubis's host."  
  
"This Ragnarok?"  
  
"Yes, which is a Northern Europe myth about the destruction of the world. It goes that Jormangand, the World Serpent, will come to shore, spitting his poison, and making the ocean flow on to the land. There will be this, this, last, great battle of the gods and the earth will sink into the sea."  
  
"I like a happy ending," Jack said.  
  
"But that's not the end, Jack, the legend goes on that over time the world will re-emerge and a new age begin."  
  
"Daniel thinks, sir," Sam stated, "that the legend has its basis in fact."  
  
"I'm all ears," Jack smiled.  
  
"I believe that the World Serpent, in the myth, was Anubis and his host, Ragnarok, was an ancient. This would also mean that they were the first to be joined. It's the only explanation to how the Goa'uld escape their planet of origin and populated the rest of the universe. By what Jonas experienced, this joining was different, the Goa'uld and host became one being."  
  
"Like the Tok'ra?" Asked General Hammond.  
  
"Sort of General."  
  
"What about this great battle?" Jack said.  
  
"The great battle was between the system lords and the Ancients for control of, well, of everything."  
  
"So it would be fair to say that all the system lords are Ancients?" Hammond inquired.  
  
"No," Jonas said, "Anubis would never let others share the power of his host. He would of used lesser species to populate his armies."  
  
"You mean us Jonas, don't you?" O'Neill replied.  
  
The Kelownan nodded, "yes sir."  
  
Dr Jackson continued, "the earth sinking into the sea, I believe that's our lost city."  
  
Daniel began to hand out photographs of hieroglyphs that Jonas had scrawled on the walls, "It's a list of earths earliest cities, the one I've circled is the one I think we should be interested in."  
  
Jack studied his picture, "Okay, Daniel the suspense is killing me."  
  
"Atlantis, Jack, the lost city is Atlantis."  
  
"Daniel if the Discovery Channel, didn't find it what hope do we have?" Jack began.  
  
"We have Jonas and Cassie."  
  
Jonas held his hand up in acknowledgement.  
  
General Hammond sighed deeply, "but what about Anubis? If he is all that you say, how do we defeat him?"  
  
"Knowing your enemy is half the battle to his defeat," Jonas said quietly.  
  
"The system lords defeated him before, sir, we just have to find out how," Major Carter intervened.  
  
"Major have you had any luck locating this device that's causing Mr Quinn to experience these amplified emotions?" The General asked.  
  
"We're working on it sir, but we haven't been able to triangulate the signal yet."  
  
"Well, I want you to keep trying, hopefully it will lead us to our mole and who ever's been killing our people. Jack, Jonas I want to see you in my office, the rest of you are dismissed."  
  
The General walked into his neat and orderly office where the Colonel and the Kelownan followed him, "be seated gentleman," he said.  
  
They both took respective chairs.  
  
Hammond waited awhile, composing his thoughts then said, "Jonas, I've been speaking to Dr Fraiser and she's concerned about your health. Physically you're as fit as a fiddle but mentally, all this is taking its toll on you. I think it would be for the best if you rested for a few days.."  
  
"Sir," Jonas began.  
  
"Jonas," Jack interrupted, "when the General's speaking it's best to wait until he's finished before interrupting him, it's a stripes thing."  
  
"Thank you Jack," Hammond continued, "We believe that Cassandra will be well enough, in a few days, to attempt another link with yourself to find the Ancient's city, in fact Dr Fraiser having trouble making her wait until then. Also the Colonel's told me about the hostility you've been experiencing from certain members of the SGC these last few weeks, so we've decided to post a guard on you at all times."  
  
Jack motion to Jonas that it was okay for him to speak now.  
  
"What about after we try to locate the lost city, sir?"  
  
General Hammond and Colonel O'Neill exchanged looks, "Jonas," the General began, "because the safety of the base has become compromised and the threat that this has had to your health, we believe the best option open to us would be for you to go and stay with the Tok'ra."  
  
"Only until you find Anubis's spy, sir?" Jonas said readily.  
  
Again the Colonel and General exchanged looks.  
  
"Is that an order sir," the Kelownan said his eyes downcast.  
  
"I can make it one, son," Hammond replied softly.  
  
Jonas went to say something when he stopped and started to shake, "Colonel," Hammond asked, dumbfounded.  
  
O'Neill shrugged his shoulders as Jonas began to yell into a unseen radio, "Parker, head for the gate, dial us out, this place is crawling with Goa'uld. Brice, get your ass over here, now, we're under attack."  
  
Jack noticed a shadow walk under the door of Hammonds outer office, "sir, you got anyone waiting out there?"  
  
"Only Colonel Lewis, we're about to discuss SG8 reactivation."  
  
They both looked at Jonas realising he was witnessing what had happen on P3X1300 and the death of Dr Brice. Just then Colonel Lewis walked in the office, "General, I heard shouting, is everything alright."  
  
Jonas fell from his chair to the floor muttering something that sounded like, 'bitch'.  
  
==================================  
  
Teal'c brought Jonas a tray the kitchen had made up for him and found the Kelownan studying over a large book, "I believe Dr Fraiser told you to rest Jonas Quinn," the Jaffa stated.  
  
He took the tray gratefully and shrugged at the larger man, who closed the book.  
  
"Do not make me tell your guard to keep you in your bed," Teal'c said.  
  
Jonas slumped back onto his bed, beaten, "Teal'c.."  
  
"I believe you would be best placed with the Tok'ra Jonas Quinn, this base is not safe for you and the Taa'ri cannot help your development further."  
  
"Yeah," Jonas replied, "thanks for this," he said pointing at the food, then, "Colonel Lewis and General Hammond are good friends?"  
  
Teal'c nodded, "Indeed, Colonel Lewis is godfather to one of General Hammond's grandchildren."  
  
"And we never returned to retrieve, Dr Brice's body?"  
  
"No, the Jaffa would have been waiting, do you know something Jonas Quinn?"  
  
"I, it's, it's just flashes Teal'c, and a feeling," he put his head in his hands.  
  
"Maybe if you got some rest the answer will come?"  
  
"Yeah," and with that the Jaffa bowed and left.  
  
Private Chapmen followed the kookie alien to the gym as his 'charge' wished to shoot some hoops. He watched as the Kelownan mentally bounced the ball around the court then hurled it at the hoop. Jonas was thinking and exercising his mind.  
  
The static from his radio broke both their concentration. Chapman moved to the corridor to get a better signal.  
  
He came back in after the transmission had ended and spoke to Jonas, "I have to go, there's been a development, someone's coming to relieve me, they won't be long."  
  
Jonas nodded and Chapman closed the doors on his way out.  
  
He felt their anger before they entered the gym. It hit Jonas like an approaching tidal wave stealing the breath from his body. There were two of them, balaclavas covering their features. He backed away toward the main entrance but heard that door shut as a third appeared from there; Jonas knew their intent before the first punch was thrown and he knew it was going to be bad.  
  
=====================================================  
  
Well, I hope you're still with me, I know it was long :o}  
  
Please let me know what you think  
  
Thank you for your patience 


	9. End Game

Still don't own Stargate SG1, wish I did, but I don't. Nor do I own 'The Meaning Of Life,' that belongs to those much greater than myself.  
  
Well this is the last chapter. Hope you enjoyed my first FanFic  
  
Thanks to all who reviewed for helping me on my journey x  
  
Again, love to CT & Pud-O xx  
  
=====================================================  
  
Chapman hurried down the corridor searching for Colonel O'Neill. 'At last,' he thought, 'some real action,' this was what he had signed on for, not babysitting some strange alien.  
  
He was surprised to see the Colonel and Teal'c leisurely talking in a side office, he strode in and saluted with a surprising loud, "Sir."  
  
Jack looked at him, saluted back, nodded and said, "Chapman?" He then looked around, "where's Jonas?"  
  
"I left him in the gym, sir, after I received your message."  
  
"Message, what..?"  
  
It was Teal'c who reacted first, knocking the chair over as he flew out the door, closely followed by Jack and a very bewildered Private Chapman.  
  
Reaching the gym, the Jaffa hurled the door open and headed for the still body, lying face down, on the games court.  
  
Teal'c knelt beside Jonas feeling for a pulse, while Jack looked on, anger rising inside of him, "Teal'c?" He enquired.  
  
"There's a pulse O'Neill, but it is weak."  
  
The Jaffa, carefully, rolled the young man over, "Jeez," Jack gasped, shaking his head, as he saw the extent of the beating Jonas's face had taken.  
  
The Colonel turned to an anxious Chapman, "get a medical team in here NOW!" The Private flew out of the room.  
  
Jack knelt the other side of the Kelownan, watching the young man's shallow breathing, as Teal'c gently lifted Jonas's black, issue, T-shirt. They were shocked to discover, several boot sized, abrasions covering his chest, "I believe they may have fracture several ribs, O'Neill," the Jaffa said quietly.  
  
Jack was speechless; they had always known the good guys from the bad before but this was something grey and it didn't sit well with him. Teal'c drew the Colonels attention to the wall in front of them; 'TRAITOR' was scrawled on it, in, what Jack hoped, was red paint.  
  
Jonas's eyes flicked open, searching for something to focus on, "Teal'c" his drained voice whispered roughly.  
  
"I am here Jonas Quinn."  
  
"I should've stayed," he began to wheeze, "should've stayed in bed."  
  
"I will make sure you do, this time," Teal'c smiled back.  
  
"Sir," Jonas strained to make eye contact with Jack.  
  
"Hey, kiddo."  
  
"They, they were so, so incensed, it burned, it blistered inside of me. I could have, have, turned it, used it, against them, but, sir, their fury, it, it would have killed them. I would have killed them."  
  
The young man began to get agitated as he looked towards the main door. "No rage, there was no rage in him," he said to the shadows, "he thought I, I knew, he stood there watching, but I could feel his darkness, his g- guilt."  
  
Jonas grabbed Jack's hand, "I could have killed them," he rasped, then shut his eyes.  
  
"Hey Jonas," Jack said, "stay with me now, that's an order."  
  
"I'm so tired, Sir, so tired."  
  
Jack and Teal'c exchanged looks, just as a gurney rattled into the gym.  
  
=============  
  
Anubis looked at the vastness of the galaxy before him. A haze of stars covered the infinite twilight but all this was wasted on his soul.  
  
He dismissed his first prime with an abrupt gesture and watched him depart. When he was alone he remove a domed object from an ornate box he was concealing.  
  
Aunbis placed this in front of him and looked into its mirrored glass; the destruction of the SGC was immanent and this made him smile.  
  
He waved his hand over the curve of glass and a strong light enveloped him, transforming his being into sunlit crystals. The particles danced for a few seconds in the mesmerising glow before being drawn into the pulsating article.  
  
============================  
  
Dr Fraiser looked at the tired faces of SG1, General Hammond and her daughter, Cassandra, "he's sleeping," was all she could tell them.  
  
"Is that a medical term, Doc?" Jack snapped back.  
  
"Colonel, I've examined Jonas thoroughly, apart from a broken arm, several fractured ribs and extensive bruising I can find nothing else wrong with him. If he was human I'd expect more damaged as a result of the, of the, pounding he went through."  
  
She rubbed her forehead to relieve some of the pressure building, "Janet?" Sam said softly.  
  
Dr Fraiser looked through the glass at the young man on the bed; she had nothing to tell them, only that he seemed to be sleeping heavily, like he was going through some sort of kel-nor-reem.  
  
"But he has no symbiote to repair him, Dr Fraiser," the Jaffa replied when she told them this.  
  
"I know, Teal'c, but he is part Goa'uld," Janet answered.  
  
"You think he might be healing himself?" Sam asked  
  
"I'll know more in the morning, I think, for now we should all get some rest."  
  
"I will stay with Jonas Quinn," Teal'c stated.  
  
The rest of them nodded and the Jaffa went into the infirmary.  
  
Cassie watched the Kelownan, closely, through the glass, "hey, come on honey," Janet went across and put her arm around her daughter to comfort her.  
  
"I'm okay, mom," she said drawing Janet to her so she could hide a secret smile.  
  
==============  
  
General Hammond paced around his office like a caged animal, "I was angry last night, Jack," he said to an equally irritated Colonel O'Neill, "but now I'm really pissed! I will not have this sort of thing going on in my base. I want the perpetrators found and court marshalled the hell out of here," He slammed his fist onto his desk.  
  
"No matter who it is General?"  
  
Hammond turned and glared at Jack, "what do you mean by that Colonel?"  
  
Jack told him about the conversation that Jonas had, had with Teal'c regarding Colonel Lewis.  
  
The General looked at a group of photographs on his desk, "no matter who it is Colonel," he said quietly  
  
=======  
  
Jack made his way to the infirmary; Dr Fraiser greeted him with a warm smile that Jack couldn't help but return, "Doc?"  
  
"See for yourself, Colonel."  
  
Jack entered the medical bay; Jonas was sat up in bed, bolstered by many pillows, listening to music while Teal'c sat near by.  
  
"Does the Doc, know you've changed?" O'Neill said jokingly, seeing the Kelownan had changed out of the hospital gown and into sweats.  
  
Jonas looked up at the Colonel and removed the headphones, "the gown was too ventilated for me," and then seeing Jack was looking at the cast on his arm added, "Teal'c helped me."  
  
Jack noticed the bruising on his face had healed considerably and the swelling around his eyes and top lip had gone down.  
  
"How's the ribs?" The Colonel asked.  
  
Jonas rubbed his forehead and gave Jack a weak smile, "sore."  
  
Dr Fraiser walked in checking a chart she was carrying, "I estimate his body has, some how, managed to repair twenty-five percent of the damage he suffered last night."  
  
Jack looked at the younger man's sombre expression, then at Teal'c who arched an eyebrow, "and that's a good thing, right?" He directed this comment at Jonas.  
  
"Yeah, I guess," the Kelownan sighed.  
  
"Jonas?" Jack said bewildered.  
  
"It's just another reminder of what I am," he replied fiddling with the headphones.  
  
"Teal'c, Doc, can you give us a minute?" Jack said.  
  
The Jaffa bowed and left with Dr Fraiser.  
  
"Jonas last night's surveillance tape of in and around the gym has been wiped. We need to know what happen, who attacked you?"  
  
"They were wearing masks."  
  
"But you know who they are."  
  
"Sir?" Jonas said looking uncomfortably at O'Neill.  
  
"Was it SG8, Jardine, Parker," Jack hesitated, "Colonel Lewis?"  
  
The Kelownan looked down at his hands, "Jardine and Parker were just angry and frustrated over the death of Dr Brice; Colonel Lewis, was, was different."  
  
"How?"  
  
Jonas's eyes fixed on something Jack couldn't see, something past, that Jack wasn't sure he wanted to know.  
  
"They were running," Jonas, told him, "Parker got to the gate first and started to dial out. Jardine was next and they both waited for the others. Dr Brice had entered a cave and Colonel Lewis had gone to get her when he had heard the Jaffa approaching. They both ran for the gate but Dr Brice tripped and twisted her ankle. The, the, Colonel turned to help but he stopped and looked down, scowling at her as she reached out to him."  
  
Jonas swallowed, "he, he then pulled out his hand gun.."  
  
"What's 'it' been saying Jack?" Colonel Lewis had entered the infirmary his hand position near his side arm.  
  
"John," Jack said narrowing his eyes, "what are you doing here?"  
  
"I heard you were interrogating the alien, so I thought I'd come lend a hand," Lewis smiled disturbingly, "you know, you shouldn't believe anything it says. You know it's been sent to the SGC to turn us against each other, that's really the reason it's here?"  
  
"Is that why you attacked 'it' in the gym?" O'Neill asked.  
  
"What do you care? You never wanted it here or as part of your team. It killed Dr Jackson, remember, to infiltrate us and now you're all swooning over it like it's one of us."  
  
Jack noticed Lewis was sweating profusely and rubbing his 'free' hand across his chin, "John, Jonas is one of us, he's one of the good guys, you know that, don't you?"  
  
"Damn it Jack, the thing's an alien. It can read our minds, our thoughts, it's dangerous," he pulled out his gun and pointed it, shakily, at Jonas.  
  
"Whoa, John, can we talk about this?"  
  
"Can we Jack? I can see the distrust in your eyes. You believe what it told you."  
  
"Told me?" Jack said shaking his head.  
  
"Yes, it told you I killed that bitch Brice."  
  
"Why would you do something like that, she was a valued member of your team?" O'Neill asked.  
  
"Yeah," Lewis told him ironically, "You know the job, Jack, the danger, the missions, it, it throws people together. We were attracted to each other, Christ, you know what a good looking woman she was."  
  
"You slept with her?"  
  
"God, don't look so shocked, Colonel," Lewis retorted, "it was mutual, a bit of a laugh at first."  
  
"And then it got serious?" Jack asked.  
  
Lewis looked trapped and unstable. He thrust the gun forward again to illustrate who was in charge; Jack took a step between the firearm and Jonas.  
  
"She started to get possessive, clingy, Jeez Jack, it felt like the bitch was stalking me. She wanted me to leave my wife, run off with her, she was going to tell Hammond, ruin my career. Hell, I was cornered."  
  
"So you shot her?" Jack said, putting the pieces together.  
  
"You have to understand the position she put me in, I was a nervous wreck. She was endangering the lives of my team; I had to stop to her."  
  
He stared at O'Neill, his eyes void of any reason, "Look, we can keep this between ourselves, right, Jack, no one need know? I'll shoot the alien, if you want, we'll say it attacked you."  
  
Lewis pulled back on the trigger, Jack stepped forward to knock it out of his hand, but before he could get a shot off Lewis burst into flame.  
  
"Jonas?" Jack looked at the Kelownan; but Jonas was looking to the doorway.  
  
Jack saw Cassandra standing there, "Cassie?" Jack asked again.  
  
"That's not Cassie, Colonel.."  
  
But before Jonas could finish a strong light pushed him out of the bed and held him against the wall.  
  
"Colonel O'Neill, is it," Cassandra said in a voice to deep for her, "we haven't been formal introduced, my name's Ragnarok, Anubis's host," she held out her hand.  
  
"Of course you know my friend, Anubis." Cassie's eyes lit up and she nodded her head in acknowledgement.  
  
She moved to where Jonas was restrained on the wall and touched his cheek, "isn't it a thing of beauty. You know, I used to look just like that."  
  
Cassie focused on O'Neill and he was abruptly suspended off the floor in a bright orange glow, "what the hell do you want?" Jack spat, caught in the beam.  
  
"Oh, what, no witty retort, Jack, can I call you Jack? Well, let me be direct with you, Jack, we've come for the Kelownan, and to destroy the SGC, in, let me see, thirty minutes."  
  
Ragnarok/Cassie began to laugh, "originally, as I'm sure your Dr Jackson has worked out, Ninety-five was created as a spare body for Anubis, for when I ascended, but you know how it is, things don't always go to plan; mother made sure of that."  
  
She walked around the floating figure of O'Neill to Jonas, "and now look at our boy? What power he possesses, power that can turn the balance in our favour."  
  
"Bite me," Jonas said from the wall; Jack was impressed.  
  
"You hear that, he's been spending too much time in the company of, forgive me Jack, inferior beings, picking up your bad manners. I can see we'll have to discipline the boy strongly, to undo all the bad things he's been taught."  
  
"Like humanity?" Jack enquired.  
  
'Cassandra's' eyes lit up and she pulled out a thin dagger. She smiled up at Colonel O'Neill and plunged the blade into Jonas's stomach, twisting it for maximum effect.  
  
"Hey," Jack shouted, his face mirroring the distress on the Kelownan's.  
  
"Cassie?" Janet walked into the room and looked on in horror at the blood seeping from Jonas's wound and her daughter holding the weapon in her hand.  
  
"Dr Fraiser," Ragnarok/Cassie said, "how nice of you to join our little soiree."  
  
Janet felt herself being pulled toward 'Cassandra' with incredible force and then held off the ground by a hand around her neck.  
  
The host turned Dr Fraiser to face Jonas and sneered, "you know he's got a crush on you."  
  
The Kelownan looked into Janet's distressed eyes, the torment on his face scaring her heart, "let her go," he pleaded.  
  
Janet felt herself drop to the floor and then a hand tugged her head violently up by the hair, "a little plain for my taste but Anubis finds her fear attractive."  
  
'Cassandra's' eyes lit up once more as Anubis entered her body. The knife was put close to Janet's throat, tearing at the tissue on her neck. "See how this woman makes you weak," came the reverberating voice, "you feel her pain, her fear, rotting inside of you," he began to laugh and pressed the blade a little closer.  
  
Jonas closed his eyes and dug deep. In his weakened state it was hard for him to muster the power he needed, but some how he did. A bolt of blue light thrust its way from inside of him and hit Anubis/Cassie in a blast of electrical current, launching her across the room and knocking her out.  
  
Jonas slid down the wall, the force that had held him there, gone. A dishevelled O'Neill, who had fallen heavily to the floor, slowly picked himself up, his gaze never leaving the still figure of Cassandra.  
  
Dr Fraiser, who was torn between the injured Kelownan and her motionless daughter, looked toward Jonas for guidance. "He's still here," he whispered, trying to stand up.  
  
Suddenly 'Cassandra' pushed herself from the floor in one easy movement, fire and rage building in her eyes. She struck Janet vehemently across the face sending her spiralling through the air like a rag doll. Grabbing O'Neill by his uniform, she pulled him to where Jonas was struggling to find his feet. She thrust her hand hard onto the Kelownan's shoulder, discharging a deep orange surge of energy. Jonas fell to the floor in agony. "Now it's your turn," Cassie/Anubis spat at Jack, eyes full of hatred.  
  
"Jack?" They both turned to see Daniel had entered the infirmary followed by Sam and Teal'c.  
  
"Daniel Jackson," Anubis/Cassie said ominously dropping Jack concentrated flare of pain, "been to Abydos lately?"  
  
"Anubis," Jack murmured to his colleagues, crawling to where Jonas lay shuddering, fighting off whatever Anubis had done.  
  
'Cassandra' rose off the floor and pushed the three of them to the ground with her mind. "SG1," came Anubis's rich voice from her lips, "too late to save the day."  
  
She then, gently, descended and walked over to Teal'c placing her hand on the Jaffa's chest sending him convulsing in pain.  
  
She looked over to the Colonel and smiled malevolently as she picked Major Carter up by her hair, "now this is my kind of woman," Ragnarok said controlling Cassie once more, "beauty and brains," she bent close to Sam's ear and smelt her. "Ever had a God before," she whispered and then kissed her full on the lips.  
  
Jack started to stand but Jonas pulled him back, "give me your anger Colonel," he said gripping O'Neill's hand.  
  
Jack looked into the young man's face and found the tight emotion draining from his heart. He observed those green eyes amass strength and drive as they flashed fire.  
  
'Cassie' looked in their direction feeling the change in atmosphere. She dropped Major Carter to the floor and kicked out at Daniel who was trying to stand.  
  
Jonas flew up onto his feet and flexed his neck until it clicked, then drew on the emotions of the rest of the group.  
  
'Cassandra' thrust out her hand to hit the Kelownan with ubiquitous might but he was too quick for her. A fountain of blue/white light radiated from him, like the plume from the stargate. It billowed rapidly toward Cassie lifting her off her feet and retaining her in its balloon. He pulled this towards him, with a gesture of his hand, and then stepped into the encasing light.  
  
Jonas took Cassandra's face tenderly in his hands and kissed her fervently on the lips drawing those who had control of her out and into him. They both fell to the floor.  
  
Sam picked herself up and went to comfort the trembling Cassandra who was sobbing hysterically over the unconscious form of Dr Fraiser.  
  
Jonas got up, awkwardly, to his feet, clutching the wound in his stomach. Jack saw his eyes light up for a fraction of a second, witnessing the internal struggle on his face to keep what was inside of him back.  
  
He walked over to a desk and scribbled some symbols on a piece of paper, handing them to a bruised Daniel Jackson. "Dial," he said painfully, "only six, last chevron when I say."  
  
Daniel nodded and headed to the gate room.  
  
"Jonas?" Jack asked feeling the extent of his own injuries.  
  
"Bomb, Cassie," he touched her on the shoulder; she looked up from where Sam was tending to her injured mother.  
  
"I can't remember, Jonas," she cried, tears flowing down her cheeks.  
  
He put his hand to her forehead and some calm fell on to her face, "show, Sam, not long."  
  
Cassandra nodded and took Sam's hand as they hurried away.  
  
Jonas looked around for Colonel O'Neill, "gate room," he said falling to his knees.  
  
Teal'c picked him from the floor and supported him, "I will take you Jonas Quinn."  
  
Jack led the way, clearing the corridors with his commanding presence, the Jaffa and Jonas following quickly behind.  
  
When they entered the gate room chevron six had encoded and Jonas motioned for Teal'c to place him on the gantry. The Jaffa stepped back and Jonas strained to kneel with his back to the stargate.  
  
General Hammond and Daniel watched from the observation room above, while Jack and Teal'c stayed as close to Jonas as they dare.  
  
They saw the young man reach an understanding, some command of his inner turmoil, as his eyes flared with a white glow. He placed his hands palms up on his knees looked up at Dr Jackson and nodded.  
  
As the gate spun, Jonas sort out O'Neill and said, "boom."  
  
The column of liquid air shot from the gate's epicentre obscuring the Kelownan in its haze for just a few seconds. Jack and Teal'c looked at each other fearing the worst as the ocean like current, slowly, withdrew, taking something with it. It wasn't clear at first, an arm, a face, emerging then disappearing in the silvery cloud, like someone drowning. Then, there was an immense scream.  
  
They all watched, transfixed, as a shadowy form, with intense burning eyes, was dragged from Jonas's body, as the pillar of liquid flowed back into the gate and beyond.  
  
Jonas fell forward onto the metal of the walkway; his whole body was soaked in a congealed substance as Sam came slowly in, clutching the Naquadria bomb. Jack took it from her and dispatched it through the gate, just a few seconds before it exploded.  
  
====  
  
O'Neill limped over to where Teal'c had placed Jonas and sat next to him with a sigh, the Kelownan looked at him, "that was close," he half whispered.  
  
Jack smiled, "you do know we have a thing on earth called dating don't you, Jonas," he said out of the earshot of the others.  
  
"Sir?"  
  
"So, you don't have to get beaten up, stabbed or possessed to spend time with Doc Fraiser. Women might go for that 'wounded soldier' thing to begin with, but believe me, after a while it'll wear thin."  
  
The Kelownan gave him a short laugh that reverberated on his injured ribs.  
  
Janet walked shakily into the gate room and smiled warmly at everyone to indicate she was okay, "hey, Doc, over here," O'Neill called, "wounded soldier," pointing to Jonas.  
  
The young man began to blush and Jack smiled to himself as the Doctor came over. She examined the wound in his stomach and found it 'miraculously' beginning to heal. "I think he's doing a good job of looking after himself without medical help, Colonel," she told them both.  
  
"Well, we all need a bit of TLC now and again, Doc," Jack replied.  
  
Cassandra knelt down taking Jonas's hand, "I sorry, I couldn't stop them," she looked away.  
  
Jonas drew her to his chest and kissed the top of her head, "I know sweetheart," he began, "It's not your fault, they used your illness to take control of you."  
  
"I couldn't fight them, I tried, but I just couldn't."  
  
The Kelownan put his hand to her head and stroked her hair, soothing the guilt from her body.  
  
"Colonel, how we doing here," the General said checking on his troops.  
  
"Oh, I think we're doing okay, sir."  
  
"Yes you are Colonel O'Neill," no one had noticed the 'blue robed guy", come into their presence, "please" he continued, putting his hands up to show he hand no weapons.  
  
General Hammond motioned for his men to put their M16s down, "who are you?" He asked.  
  
"I have many names, General."  
  
"Yeah, well, which one are you using today?" Jack inquired.  
  
"You may address me as Olmec," he replied bowing his head to the assembled SGC members.  
  
"Well Olmec," Jack said 'politely', "we've had more than our fair share of mysterious visitors, for today..."  
  
"Colonel, O'Neill, I will not keep you for long, I have come for Cassandra and Jonas."  
  
Hammond went to say something but Olmec stop him with a raised hand, "Sir," he said in the General's direction, "I am offering them protection and knowledge that you cannot provide. They are not safe here but with my teachings I can make them all that they can be and save them from harm. Then, I assure you, they will be in a position to protect themselves."  
  
"General?" Dr Fraiser stood up looking toward Hammond for help.  
  
Olmec turned to greet her worries, touching her face softly with his hand, "dear lady, please do not fear, I will not harm your daughter. Believe me when I tell you that, they will use your child again as they have done so before. Given the chance, they will turn her heart and soul black, until she is theirs completely. I can show her how to stop them, how to use her strengths to defeat their advances. It will not be for long, she will be back with you before you know it."  
  
He smiled at her, light emanating from those violet eyes, taking the pain away from her body.  
  
"Mom," it was Cassie, "it's alright, Olmec's one of the good guys, I'll be okay." She took Janet's hand, "help me pack a few things."  
  
Janet nodded knowing she could not stop her daughter's destiny.  
  
Jonas got to his feet and the old man embraced him, "I give you peace and rest, Jonas Quinn, and knowledge for our journey ahead, there is much for me to show you."  
  
Jonas acknowledge this with a smile toward Jack who saw that he was, now, completely healed, "Are you sure you wanna go," he said to the Kelownan.  
  
"Yes, sir, I have to."  
  
Jack nodded and Jonas went to get the plaster removed from his arm.  
  
"Dr Jackson," Olmec said holding out his hand, "how wonderful to meet you at last."  
  
"Yeah, likewise," replied Daniel in an unsure voice.  
  
"Hey Daniel, got your own fan club there," Jack retorted.  
  
Daniel gave the Colonel a hard stare, Olmec grinned and continued, "I wished they had let you remain as Ragnarok has taken his cause to the ascended. Many have joined him, their greed for ultimate power marring the celestial plane, if they are not defeated soon, much damaged will be done."  
  
"Much damage?" O'Neill reiterated.  
  
"Yes Colonel, a great shadow will fall over what we know to be true and the light will fade."  
  
He handed Daniel what looked like a smooth stone, "for your journey."  
  
"Any chance of you telling us where the Lost City is before you go?" Jack asked.  
  
"It is closer than you think, but not where you know it to be."  
  
"Do you guys ever give a straight answer?"  
  
Olmec laughed, "For those who seek one yes, for those who choose not to listen, no."  
  
"Figures." Jack said.  
  
========  
  
Jonas looked at his friends; he was saying good-bye to another world. Sam went to tell him he didn't have to go but he hugged her to affirm that he did. Teal'c knew this as he took the Kelownan's arm in friendship and bowed at him in respect. Daniel regarded this enthusiastic young man as the person he once was, he wished him well with all his heart, for he knew what lay ahead would be relentless and challenging.  
  
Jack knew Jonas's was looking for some form of approval from him as he shook his hand. The kid had tried so hard to fit in, to be a valued member of the SGC, "just remember," O'Neill began, "when you're out, out there, you're still a member of SG1 so try and conduct yourself accordingly."  
  
"Yes, sir," Jonas said saluting the Colonel, the smile on his lips coming directly from his heart.  
  
Sam looked at Jack like he was softening, he gave her the O'Neill stare but she grinned anyway.  
  
Olmec held his hands out in front of the gate and it activated, "neat trick," Jack whispered.  
  
Cassie gave Janet another reassuring hug and stepped through the event horizon with Olmec. Jonas turned, before stepping through, and saluted General Hammond. The General signalled back, nodding his approval, then Jonas turned and tripped through the stargate.  
  
"And that must be his human side," Jack told them.  
  
=====  
  
Anubis/ Ragnarok looked at the Jaffa, the human and the Ascended who were knelt before him. He had instructed them of their mission and the rewards it would bring if successful but if they failed they knew it would mean death.  
  
He dismissed them to their crafts and went to the view their departure from his control room.  
  
Somewhere, out there, in the dimensions of space, Olmec had hidden his nemesis. Their mission was to find Jonas Quinn so Anubis/ Ragnarok could bring the boy his knees.  
  
The End?  
  
================  
  
Well that it.  
  
Keep safe and remember..  
  
The universe itself keeps on expanding and expanding  
  
In all of the directions it can whizz  
  
As fast as it can go, at the speed of light, you know,  
  
Twelve million miles a minute, and that's the fastest speed there is.  
  
So remember, when you're feeling very small and insecure,  
  
How amazingly unlikely is your birth,  
  
And pray that there's intelligent life somewhere up in space,  
  
'Cause there's bugger all down here on Earth. Author: Eric Idle  
  
From the Movie 'The Meaning of Life' 


End file.
